It's Not KOLD Anymore
by Marcus Cersy
Summary: He's been looking for his childhood friend's kidnapper. He needed to find his own path. She never fit in at home. She was a living experiment for years. These four teens will now come together at the Prestigious Beacon Academy, under the name of team KOLD.
1. Trailer 1: Blue

**Guess what ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another story. This one is another favourite series created by our amazing friends, Roosterteeth Productions. The first four chapters are going to be a form of trailer, like the Team RWBY trailers before the series kickstarted way back when.  
**

 **RWBY is the original idea of the late Monty Oum. This will always be possible thanks to his amazing mind, and now the rest of Roosterteeth carry on his legacy. I only own my OCs, who will be introduced in order of their initial, making the word KOLD.**

* * *

 **Trailer 1: Blue**

 **Theme Song: Strike Back (OP 16 Fairy Tail)**

* * *

 _When they attacked my village, I swore I would not give up until I find where they took them. Took her. When I find them, I will not give them mercy, because they didn't give it to us._

Just outside the Kingdom of Vale, in the far eastern reaches of Forever Fall, a warehouse, once occupied by the Vale military, now was occupied by a different kind of movement. Two men stood at the entrance to this small outpost, both wearing white armour, black under clothing and white masks.

These were the foot soldiers of the White Fang, a terrorist group which was formerly a Faunus equality movement. The movement was now focused on destruction of anything owned by humanity, that included their lives.

The two sentries looked out into the forest, ready for anything. So when a figure emerged from the treeline, they raised their weapons.

The figure that approached was a human, wearing a dark blue sleeveless jacket that he left unzipped, a grey shirt beneath it, black pants and boots. On the breast pocket of his jacket is a symbol, one of what looks like a boomerang in a X pattern with a lightning bolt. On his waist, hanging out in plain view were two hilts of what appeared to be weapons.

"You picked a bad time to get lost human," one of the White Fang said.

"Are you the ones who took them?" The human asked. "Do you know where she is!?" He demanded.

The two grunts aimed their weapons, but suddenly the boy flicked his wrists outwards, the hilts on his waist now missing. A second later, both guards were knocked out by a club to the head from a metal boomerang, which bounced off their heads and returned to the boy's hands.

"Guess I'll look inside then," He said, walking over their bodies and pushing open the door. His eyes narrowed when he saw that ten White Fang were looking at him.

As they reached for weapons, the boy growled, "Are you the ones who took a fox Faunus from a small settlement near Vale?!"

"So what? She belongs with us human, even if we did have her, I doubt she'd want to be a friend to you!" A Fang soldier taunted.

The boy tossed a boomerang, and it flew with alarming speed at the speaker, beaming him in the head and knocking him out. The boomerang then returned to the boy.

"Get him!" Another Faunus ordered.

"I'll get my answer," The boy said, tossing both of his weapons again, the left one bouncing off the wall and clubbing a soldier in the back of the head, while the other hit the knees of three soldiers, sending them sprawling.

Catching the weapons, the boy caught two swords from Fang soldiers with the curved blunt weapons. "Nice try," He chuckled, suddenly, blue energy shot out from under his hands, forming a fist and punching both in the stomachs.

The energy vanished, and the boy took a stance, holstering his boomerangs. "Bring it," He told them. All the members with a ranged weapon, pistols, rifles, they all opened fire. Raising his hands, a domed shield suddenly formed around the boy, blocking all the incoming rounds. The boy waited for them to run out of ammo, and then waved his hands apart, expanding the shield and smacking anyone that wasn't behind some solid cover into a wall, knocking them all out.

The boy then drew his weapons, but didn't throw them, instead scraping them together, causing lightning to spark from them. He then swiped them across the air, and several arches of lightning lanced towards some brave white fang, passing through them and shocking them into unconsciousness.

The boy glanced around, seeing a handful of regular foot soldiers, as well as some slightly beefier members, most likely Lieutenants. The first had a massive pickaxe, and the second had two fire axes.

The boy ducked under a swing from the first Lt. then tosses one boomerang into the air. While that happened, he gripped the second boomerang, and presses a button, causing the metal to extend, forming a longsword.

The first boomerang suddenly swoops out of nowhere, hitting the second Lt. in his shoulder, before it came back to him, and also became a sword. The boy slid under a swing from the pickaxe and then catches it by crossing his swords. The Lt. had more physical strength, but the boy didn't need it, energy coming up from underneath the first man, and lifting him over the boy, into the second man.

The second man pushed his ally off him, and began an offence, swinging both axes in an attempt to remove the boy's head.

The boy reverted his swords to their boomerangs, and then swiped, sending a wave of lightning at the axe Lt. at point blank range, sending him flying through a wall. The pickaxe holder roared, but the boy conjured up more energy, this time from above, and it stomped down on the Lt. with the weight of a boulder.

The second Lt. shook off the dizziness from being thrown through a wall, and glanced back to see the boy approaching him. "Where is she?" The boy asked.

"Who?" The man asked.

"A fox Faunus, two years younger than me. She didn't deserve anything you monsters did, you killed her parents and slaughtered her siblings. So, I'll ask one more time. Where. Is. She?" The boy asked.

"I don't know, she'll probably be at another facility. That was Adam Taurus' mission, to kidnap unwilling subjects for some experiments," the man said. "I swear that's all I know!"

"Bad answer," The boy said. "If you are found by your friends before the police get here, send them this message. Koa Maru will not stop. He will not rest until he finds the scumbags who raided his village, slaughtered several of his people, and took his best friend from him."

The boy, Koa Maru, stomped down, knocking out the Lt. with brutal efficiency. He then turned, walking away from the outpost.

 _I need to become stronger_. He thought, _I need to get stronger, so people like her never have to experience helplessness again._

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 **No omake at the end here, just a A/N saying that all four trailers will be released at the same time, so here we go.**


	2. Trailer 2: Black

**Trailer 2: Black**

 **Theme Song: Live and Learn (Crush 40)  
**

* * *

 _Mother… Father… I know that you'd admit it, but I was always the problem… So I took matters into my own hands, and set out on my own path._

A large ship powered through the waters, coming south from the Kingdom of Atlas. The passengers on board milled about, enjoying the scenery, talking with their fellows, or just lazing on deck.

One boy however sat on a deck chair, and read through a book, a pair of earphones in his ears. He was wearing a slate grey armour plate over a black shirt, black pants and boots. On the table next to him was a centurion style helmet, with a T-shape opening at the front and a plume of black feathers from the top to the lower back of it.

Suddenly, there was commotion near the front of the ship. "Alright! Nobody move, nobody gets hurt!" A man yelled. He was flanked by a large number of men, who were all armed with rifles, swords and other weapons. They were all wearing black suits, with red shirts beneath their jackets, red sunglasses and had a black bowler hat on. They were members of a Mafia which had several branches, this was a group from Atlas.

The mafia split up, sweeping and rounding up the crew and passengers, and moving them to the back of the ship. "No sudden moves and you'll all live, but your possessions are now belonging to us. Money, jewellery, prized items. All of it is ours." The leader said, taking off his shades.

One mafia member was up on the upper deck when he heard faint music, and saw the black-haired teen reading his book. He walked over and pulled out the boy's earphones. The boy glanced up at him, but then went back to reading. "Just a sec, I'm on the last page," He told the man.

"No kid, put the book down," The man growled, pointing his gun to the boy's head. The boy smiled, slowly closing the book.

"That was a nice book, now I just need to wait for the next in the series," He said, then glanced up. "I'm sorry, did you need something?" He asked.

"Put your hands up," The man said.

 _I rushed the end of that book for this muppet?_ The boy asked, "Get lost." He then pulled something out from behind his chair, then, jammed it against the man's chest. A second later, the man was sent flying by a large sized slug of metal.

The boy put on his helmet, and activated his weapon, which extended from the pole he pulled out. A large double axe head sprouted from one end, and a blunderbuss head sprouted from the top.

"Right…" He muttered, as several mafia men sprinted towards him. "Who's next?" A man tried to cleave at him with an axe, but the boy blocked it with the handle of his own axe, and pushed the man back into an ally of his.

The boy then swung his axe, and the flat side connected with one man, then jabbed the far end of the hilt into another, winding him. He then pulled a trigger, and a metal slug shot from the blunderbuss, slamming into another man and sending him into the water.

"Can any of you actually provide a challenge?" He asked. He frowned when several men with rifles took positions and opened fire. The boy blinked, and the bullets just pinged off his skin and armour.

"H-huh?" A man asked. "How'd he just shrug off our rounds?"

"My semblance, that's how," The boy smirked. "It increases my aura's defensive capabilities." He then held up his axe. "Now… get off this ship."

He quickly spun his axe, then fired two slugs at another pair of goons, sending them into the drink. He then swung his weapon, cutting down four men with a single motion.

Two men tried to get the better of him, one swinging high, the other from low, but the boy countered by catching the downward with the axe head, and the upward with the other end, then followed up by twirling his axe, making the two stumble. The boy then finished by slamming the flat side into one man's head, and bashed the other end down on the other guy.

He turned to the crew and passengers, "Is everyone alright?" He asked.

"We are now, thank you young man," the captain asked. "What is your name?"

The boy removed his helmet. "The name's Onyx Stone," He said.

As the ship recovered, and some of the crew tied up the mafia men that were still on the ship, Onyx went back to his chair, putting his book in a backpack. _The sooner I get to Vale, the sooner I can start my new life…_

* * *

 **Second trailer finished, two down, two to go.**


	3. Trailer 3: Lilac

**Trailer 3: Lilac**

 **Theme Song: 7 Days to the Wolves (Nightwish)**

* * *

 _I never fit in here… I want to get out there, fight the battles that they won't… but it won't be on the side of darkness._

Not far from the Kingdom of Mistral lies the small patch of Heaven called Menagerie. It is a settlement on an island, home to all the Faunus that have grown tired of fighting, and live a life of harmony.

Several patrol boats usually check the surrounding islands, making sure that there is no chance of the Creatures of Grimm coming and wiping them out. Most times, it would be the local authorities, but occasionally, brave individuals would take a boat and make the sweep themselves.

"This is Lilo, searching quadrant six," A young girl said into her scroll. She was a Wolf Faunus, evident by the two wolf ears sticking out of lavender coloured hair. Her eyes were dark purple, and she was wearing a lilac sleeveless kimono top with black ribbon around the waist. Below the ribbon were black baggy pants and pink sandals. On her wrists were a pair of gauntlets, white in colour, with black lines that went up to her knuckles.

"Acknowledged Lilo, be advised, there have been sightings of lancers in the area, and we have no intel on what could be on the ground," Her commander said.

"Copy, I'll take a look around and report back when I'm done," Lilo nodded. "Lilo out."

With that, she put her scroll on her left gauntlet, and leapt forward, bounding onto a thick tree branch, then springing to the next one, moving deep into the forest.

She kept like this until she heard a barking noise from below, and descended, covering herself in the bush. In the clearing, she saw a wolf, not a creature of grimm, but a normal wolf. It seemed to be looking around the area, until it seemed to look back, barking once.

Lilo held in her breath, upon seeing a pair of pups bound out of the growth on the other side. One had white fur, with a grey mane. The other was black, with a white mane.

Lilo smiled, watching them play for a second. Then her Faunus ears picked up growling, and she glanced to where it was coming from. Two Beowolves lurked into the clearing, and set their piercing red eyes on the wolf parent, who was now snarling back. The Beowolves had quite a bit of white armour plating on their heads, paws and chests. That meant that these two were Majors.

The wolf Faunus frowned, and clenched her fists, several razor-sharp blades extending from her gauntlets, and she sprang out into the opening. The regular wolf glanced at her, but didn't deem her as a threat, compared to the creatures of darkness in front of them.

"I'll handle one, you can have the other," Lilo said to the wolf, who seemed to almost nod in response.

The four wolves charged, fangs and claws reared.

Lilo ducked under the first swing from her foe, and blocked the other by covering up her face with her gauntlets. She then slashed back, but her claws raked against the Beowolf's armour. She frowned, stabbing again, but the Beowolf evaded her slash by leaning back slightly.

Meanwhile, the wolf leapt up, fangs out to tear at the Beowolf's black, smoky flesh. The Beowolf countered by swiping down, swatting the wolf to the ground. However, the mother wasn't done, teeth wrapping around the Beowolf's gangly leg like a vice. The Beowolf didn't approve of this, and gripped the mother's torso, and yanked, pulling her off it's leg, and throwing it against a rock.

Lilo saw this, and sprang over before the second grimm could finish the job. "Stay down," She said to the wolf. "Let me handle this!" She called out, before clenching her fists again, gun barrels appearing above the claws and opening fire, ammunition pouring out of her gauntlets and into the Beowolves, causing them to reel back a bit and take some damage from her onslaught.

They roared, before charging again. Lilo growled, her ranged attacks were useless now. Therefore, she leapt at the first beowolf, claws going for it's neck. With a grunt and a mighty yank of both hands, she sliced right through, and it fell to the ground, minus it's head.

With the first one dead, she turned to the second one, which pounced on her, putting her on her back. Wrestling with it's arms and also it's jaws, she grunted, unable to do anything to stop it.

Suddenly, a furious bark came from behind the grimm, the wolf mother had recovered, and her claws were sunk in and teeth on the neck. The beowolf snarled, pulling the wolf off with it's freakishly long arms, and threw her again, however… this time, the mother's landing wasn't as smooth.

Lilo's eyes widened. The wolf was impaled on a rocky spike, and the little aura that the creature had could do nothing about it. "NO!" She yelled, and with a burst of strength, she tackled the grimm to the ground, and began slicing away at the monster, removing it's arms, legs, and then head with barely controlled rage.

With the grimm dead, she sprinted over to the mother, sheathing her claws and pulling the wolf free from her grisly end-bringer. The wolf whimpered from her pain, and Lilo sniffled. As a wolf Faunus, she shared a kindred spirit with this creature, and she was dying now.

The pups ran from their cover and whined. The mother gave a short, pained bark, then turned her head to Lilo. The pups seemed to glance at the girl, then at each other. With a nod, they both turned and lowered their heads.

Suddenly, Lilo felt some kind of itch in her mind. 'Alpha.' She heard a female voice say, followed by a male, saying the same word.

"What the…" Lilo blinked. She glanced down at the pups, who looked up at her with big eyes.

'You are our Alpha. We follow you now,' The female voice said.

"Hold on… are you two speaking with me?" The girl asked, causing the pups to nod.

She grinned. "My semblance… I… think you're my semblance!" She laughed.

The two pups barked, and suddenly glowed, becoming more dog-like in appearance. "You'll need names. Snowfall and Shadow," Lilo said, tapping the white one then the black one on the nose, in that order.

She glanced down at the mother, who was barely breathing. "I promise… I'll keep them safe," She told the mother.

She whimpered, then her chest was still. "Sleep eternally. You earnt it," Lilo said, closing the mother's eyes.

Lilo covered the wolf with rocks, and put a fang from the beowolves on a stick sticking out the ground. "Thank you… you sacrificed yourself to save me and your kids… I won't forget you," She said.

"Come on pups, we've got work to do," She smiled.

 _I didn't ask for this_. She thought, as she set off into the forest again, the two wolf pups on her tail. _But I'll happily accept this gift that I have unlocked._

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 **3 down, 1 to go, see you in trailer 4  
**


	4. Trailer 4: Yellow

**Trailer 4: Yellow**

 **Theme Song: He Has Escaped! (Vindsvept, Fantasy Music)**

* * *

In an undisclosed location, Adam Taurus walked through one of the White Fang facilities. By his side was his friend and trusted teammate, Blake Belladonna.

Adam wore a black long-sleeved trench coat with slit sleeves and more red designs and a white symbol on the left side. His trench coat had red inner lining, with red flame-like accents at the bottom and a wilting rose emblem was on the back over a white floral pattern. Under his coat, which he left half-buttoned, he wore a red shirt with a black line running parallel to his collar.

Below a black belt with white markings were long black pants, black shoes with red soles and black gloves on his hands.

His hair was red, with black locks towards the back. His Faunus traits, two bull horns, stuck up out of his head, and a variant of the white grimm mask worn by White Fang grunts was over his eyes.

Blake on the other hand wore a black buttoned vest with coattails and a single silver button on the front. Under this was a white, sleeveless, high-necked crop undershirt and white shorts with a zipper on the front of each leg.

She also wore black low-heeled boots and blackish-purple full stockings. A symbol was on the outside of both thighs, just below her shorts in white. On her left arm was a detached sleeve with a silver cuff around her bicep, and black ribbons around both forearms, lastly, she wore a loose scarf around her neck, and a magnetic backpack for her weapon was strapped to her back, hidden by her hair.

Her traits were a pair of cat ears, and she also had purple eyeshadow in cat-eye style.

"Adam… what are we doing here? Shouldn't we be readying for that heist in a few days?" Blake asked.

"Doctor Krys said she had discovered something about one of the subjects we took from Melodious village near Vale," Adam told her.

"One of the subjects? You mean one survived the tests?" Blake asked.

"Well… it's not a big discovery, but we have uncovered her semblance," A woman wearing a labcoat, black pants and the white fang mask said, approaching the two.

"Doctor," Adam nodded. "What have you uncovered then?"

The woman directed the two black dressed members to a cell, where a fox Faunus girl, barely in her teens, is seen huddled in the corner. She was wearing a white hospital gown, and sniffling in fear of seeing Adam.

"What's her name?" Blake asked.

"Jasmine Diali. Her semblance is something I've never seen before. Watch, I shall use my semblance, which is merely a cage of bulletproof glass." Krys said, doing just that, summoning the aforementioned item.

The girl, Jasmine, watched, and suddenly, the same glass box was around her as well. "She used your semblance?" Adam blinked.

"Indeed, I believe her semblance lets her copy someone's semblance, and use it herself. Example, if Miss Blake here was to use her shadow-step, this girl would be able to use it too," the doctor said, removing her own box of glass.

"I see… what are the drawbacks?" Blake asked.

"She can only have two memories of copied semblances at a time, and they seem to be forgotten 24 hours after she commits it to memory."

"Good work doctor, also… I see the trait multiplication experiment was a success," Adam observed. Blake followed his gaze, and saw not one but _nine_ fluffy fox tails instead.

Blake found herself looking away, after seeing the fox girl's pleading eyes peer into hers. Adam and Krys had stepped away, and when Blake looked back, she saw a daunting thing, _help_ had been written on the bulletproof glass, drawn using Jasmine's finger and her breath.

Blake glanced over at her mentor and the doctor, and sighed, shadow-stepping slightly towards him.

The girl smiled, her eyes observing every second of the action. When Blake glanced back again, _thank you_ had been written, and the girl was gone.

* * *

Jasmine ran through the corridors of the unfamiliar facility, sticking to the shadows and using the cat Faunus' semblance to avoid patrols. She then blinked, coming across an armoury.

Peeking inside, she saw the room was empty. Stepping in, she took a glance around. On the walls were the various weapons of the White Fang, ranged on the right side of the room and melee weapons on the left.

She then saw a small, but still quite long lance in the corner of the room, and decided to experiment. When she went to lift it, she was surprised at the lightness of the weapon, and smiled, accepting the long weapon. Then, her mind had an idea, and she located a coil of rope and a wrap of tape.

When she emerged from the armoury, she was wearing the white chestplate and black shirt of the white fang, but she had ignored the mask. Waist down, she had torn the legs off a pair of pants, then tore the bottom of them, turning them into a short, but effective skirt, letting her tails flow freely.

She was carrying the lance but taped halfway along the long reaching weapon was a shotgun. Then, some rope was loosely taped to the lance, all the way back to the handle. One of the ropes was tied neatly to the trigger of the shotgun. The other was to the pump of said weapon.

Jasmine walked up to a door, and took a deep breath, before opening it. The following room was some sort of storage hangar, with a large open door at the far side. The girl smiled, seeing freedom in her sights, but that smile turned into a frown when she saw that there were plenty of White Fang soldiers scattered around the large room.

"Hey! One of the prisoners escaped! Get her!" One grunt called out, pulling out his sword.

The girl reeled back, about to run. But then she remembered she was armed. And she was desperate.

She waited until several of her captors got close, then she took a sideways swing, smacking aside all of them with a single motion. Then, she took a deep breath. _Let this work_. Pulling the rope, the shotgun spat out a spread of buckshot, hitting several more men and taking them out. She then pulled the other rope, depositing the empty shell.

Then she took a charge, catching one man on the end of her lance and firing the shotgun again, sending him across the room. She then lowered her lance, scraping it across the ground, and catching an uneven segment of the floor, and it vaulted her into the air and over several containers.

Landing heavily on another grunt, she stabbed and swung at more, taking out three more with a powerful lunge and a heavy swing. She then found herself up against her next foe, a few grunts with rifles and pistols. Without hesitation, she activated her semblance, bringing up the Doctor's bulletproof glass case, which caught the storm of rounds that they fired at her.

She smiled, _thank you Doctor Krys_. She closely observed the grunts, and noticed they were stopping to reload their weapons. Turning the cage into a wall, she gripped it with one hand, and pushed forwards, until she was close enough. She threw the glass one way, sending several men flying, then she swiped her lance the other way, sending the other half flying.

Noting the lull of White Fang around her, she took a sprint for the hangar door. "Prisoner!" She screeched to a halt, and glanced back to see Adam, Blake and Krys coming through the door she entered from.

"Surrender," He stated, holding up his weapon, which had the shape of a katana.

The girl grit her teeth, glancing around the room, and her eyes settled on a control panel near the door. Lifting her lance, she threw it at the console, sprinting through the door as the door lost power, slamming shut behind her.

 _Got to get home…_ She thought, running through the forest, even as the adrenaline from her escape started to fade. _Got to make it back to Koa…_

* * *

 **That's four, I'll get a profile chapter up soon so you guys can see what they're like on paper, these were just an individual highlight of each member of the characters.**

 **Please leave your opinion of all four characters, their weapons and their semblances.**


	5. Character Sheet

**I present you all with team KOLD! Each member, their weapon, abilities, semblance, all of it! This was particularly fun, because it's FOUR new characters, with no connections to any of my previous OCs.**

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 **Koa Maru:**

 **Theme: Strike Back (Nathan Sharp).**

* * *

 **Colour:** Deep Koamaru (A light cold blue)

 **Race:** Human

 **Gender:** Male

 **Age:** 17

 **DoB:** Unknown

 **Outfit:** Blue, white, black.

 **Accessories:** A necklace of his emblem, which is a boomerang crossing over a lightning bolt, with a shield shaped background.

 **Handiness:** Either/or.

 **Complexion:** Fair

 **Height:** 5'7"

 **Hair colour:** Black

 **Eye colour:** Ocean blue

 **Aura Colour:** Light cold blue

 **Semblance:** Hardlight

 **Status:** Active

 **Relatives:** Unnamed Father, Unnamed Mother.

 **Personality:** Koa grew up a loner in his village, but started to become more social as he made friends with a neighbour. He's always stood by the principal of 'No man left behind', often choosing to be the last man to leave, covering his allies and friends with his body if necessary.

He has a huge soft spot for his childhood friend, Jasmine, who upon finding her way back to him, he vowed to lay down his life if it meant protecting her.

Koa is a kind soul, but cautious, always checking for alternate paths before deciding the best course of action.

 **Powers and Abilities:** Koa is a quick thinker, coming up with ideas on the fly, and knowing when to improvise when a plan goes wrong. He also has hand-to-hand combat experience, having a custom fighting style when he can't use his weapons.

 **Weapon:** Return to Sender: a pair of heavy weighted metal boomerangs with a pair of leather grips on each one. Each is infused with an internal supply of lightning dust, which can activate by twisting the boomerangs around at the middle. The metal that they are crafted with allows them to bounce off what they hit, and always find a way to get back to Koa's hands.

 **Semblance:** Hardlight: Koa's Semblance gives him the power to form solid energy, in the shape of shields or bridges, but there are times when he'll use it to cover a fist, giving him an extra kick, or sometimes he'll get creative with them.

 **Weaknesses:** He doesn't have the most remarkable ranged capabilities, his weapon, Return to Sender, doesn't have the best of options when it comes to supreme range, so against snipers, he can be completely useless.

* * *

 **Onyx Stone:**

 **Theme: Brave Heart (Pellek English Ver).**

* * *

 **Colour:** Black

 **Race:** Human

 **Gender:** Male

 **Age:** 17

 **DoB:** Unknown

 **Outfit:** Black and grey

 **Accessories:** Centurion style helmet

 **Handiness:** Prefers his right side

 **Complexion:** Fair

 **Height:** 6'0"

 **Hair Colour:** Black

 **Eye Colour:** Black

 **Aura Colour:** Slate Grey

 **Semblance:** Bolster

 **Status:** Active

 **Relatives:** Unnamed Mother, Unnamed Father

 **Personality:** Onyx loves nothing more than a good book and some peace and quiet. He can sometimes completely ignore someone, if he is too interested in his books. When he must, he fights with all his heart, showing he has a tank-like nature, thanks to his weapon and his semblance.

Onyx is the quietest member of the team, not including the mute Jasmine, he often observes the plan, following his superiors' strategies, only interjecting if he gets an idea or sees an opportunity.

 **Abilities and Powers:** Can tune out any and all noise, focusing on one thing at a time. He also will show he has a creative mind, coming up with bizarre ideas that can make people worried about their role in such ideas.

 **Weapon:** A two handed battleaxe called Obsidian Rage. A thick handle is a black metal, as is the double headed axe blade, and a large open nozzle is on the top of the pole, where large heavy slugs of metal are fired. When in compact, the axe folds up, tucking into the handle, and the nozzle folds down as well, then the handle slides down on itself, until it's a harmless pole, which magnetises to Onyx's back.

 **Semblance:** Bolster: Provides a defensive increase to his and his allies Aura, allowing them to take more punishment, but Onyx's aura drains a bit quicker than usual when it is active.

 **Weaknesses:** A bit reliant on his semblance, Onyx will run out of aura before his teammates do.

* * *

 **Lilo Fuchsia:**

 **Theme: Fist Bump/Strength (Douglass Robb and Emi Jones)**

* * *

 **Colour:** Lilac

 **Race:** Faunus (Wolf)

 **Gender:** Female

 **Age:** 16

 **DoB:** Unknown

 **Outfit:** Lilac, Pink and black

 **Accessories:** Black ribbon around the waist, moon necklace.

 **Handiness:** Left

 **Complexion:** Fair with a tan.

 **Height:** 5'2"

 **Hair Colour:** Lavender

 **Eye Colour:** Deep purple

 **Aura Colour:** Pink

 **Semblance:** Wolf Pack

 **Status:** Active

 **Relatives:** Unnamed Father, Unnamed Mother, Unnamed Brother and Unnamed Sister.

 **Personality:** Lilo doesn't like sitting in one place for too long, she likes to be active, always with something to do. She loves to play with her wolf partners Snowfall and Shadow, making sure they stay energetic and fit.

When she's not in the energetic mood, she loves to laze about, lying at the base of/on a branch of a tree, cuddled up with her pups on her bed, or sitting on the landing pads of Beacon Courtyard, her feet dangling off the edge.

When in combat, she gains a tiny bit of a feral side, half to do with her Faunus heritage, but also to do with her semblance.

 **Abilities and Powers:** Being a Faunus, she has heightened hearing, smell and sight. She also has night vision. Often patrolling on her own has made Lilo hard to detect by her foes, and can easily flank her opponents, gaining the upperhand.

She also has a lot of primal strength, which helps her use her weapons more.

 **Weapon:** Metal Wolf Claw: A pair of white gauntlets, with black lines that stripe towards the knuckles, which house four long claws which extend from the knuckles. Two Machine Guns rise out of the wrists. Also, she can fire her claws, which have thin but powerful wire attached, which let her either retract them to her gauntlets, or get pulled to them if they were lodged in a wall or enemy.

 **Semblance:** Wolf Pack: Lilo is the Alpha figure to two wolf pups after she saved their lives, during which they lost their mother. She has complete control over them and shares a telepathic link with them both. When in combat, they change from a cute dog shape (Like Zwei) into a full-sized wolf.

Snowfall is the white one. She carries an air of pride and royalty, and her collar has ice dust crystals embedded in it, allowing her to channel ice into her fangs and claws, and also forming an ice armour around her head, body and tail.

Shadow is the black one. He's quieter than his sister, and is the more aggressive of the two. He has a collar around his neck with shadow dust crystals embedded in it, allowing him to fade into shadows and attack out of nowhere.

 **Weaknesses:** Her primal instincts can sometimes get the better of her, and her quick feet can sometimes put her in big trouble. Also, her wolves are strong, but if they take a mortal blow, they revert to their dog form, and Lilo feels a portion of the pain they took.

* * *

 **Jasmine Diali:**

 **Theme: Believe in Myself (Kaz Silver)  
**

* * *

 **Nickname:** Jas (By Koa)

 **Colour:** Jasmine Yellow

 **Race:** Faunus (Fox)

 **Gender:** Female

 **Age:** 15

 **DoB:** Unknown

 **Outfit:** Jasmine yellow and white

 **Accessories:** White bow around her tails, this ties them together, hiding her unique trait.

 **Handiness:** Either

 **Complexion:** Pale

 **Height:** 5'00"

 **Hair Colour:** Blonde

 **Eye Colour:** Green

 **Aura Colour:** Light yellow

 **Semblance:** Copy/Paste

 **Status:** Active

 **Relatives:** Unnamed Father (Deceased), Unnamed Mother (Deceased), Unnamed Brother and Unnamed Sister (Both Deceased).

 **Personality:** Being a walking experiment for half her life, Jasmine is extremely timid the first time she meets someone. Jasmine is mute, a side effect caused by an experiment she went through, therefore, she carries a pen infused with light dust, allowing her to write in the air, she can write backwards and upside-down to help with this.

Jasmine _HATES_ the White Fang, even more-so than any of her friends, and wants to do anything she can to bring them down. She also despises racism against the Faunus.

While mute, Jasmine still lives to the full of her ability, she is great friends with Ruby for the fact they both love weapons, and they shared a lot of classes at Signal Academy.

 **Abilities and Powers:** She's a Faunus, so she shares the same abilities as Lilo in this regard. She has some control over her tail, and can use them to constrict her foes if the opportunity appears to her. She also has a creative mind, and will prove herself as the tech head of the team.

Jasmine also works out quite a bit in the gym, to help her carry her weapon, which isn't exactly the smallest or lightest.

 **Weapon:** Kitsune's Kickback: A lance that opens near the tip to reveal a large cannon, which can fire grenades or shells at her foe. When not in use, it folds halfway up, the tip snapping round to connect to the handle. It slings to her satchel, which has super reinforced fabric to hold it.

 **Semblance:** Copy/Paste: Jasmine's semblance allows her to observe another person's semblance, memorise it, then use it herself. Example: If Ruby was to use her speed semblance in Jasmine's sight, then she'd be able to store that memory, then use Ruby's speed as well.

Jasmine can store two semblances at once, but the memories fade after a week, meaning she'll have to memorise them all over again to use them.

 **Weaknesses:** Being mute means she can't be vocal in battle, this could hinder her or her teammates, who can't hear a warning from her. Also, she doesn't have a lot of hand-to-hand combat experience.

* * *

 **Marcus: So that is team KOLD. Koa Maru. Onyx Stone. Lilo Fuchsia. Jasmine Diali. How will they meet? How will they come to be such a team? How will these four individuals change the story of RWBY? Will they improve it? Will it get worse? Who knows?** **I do.**

 **Koa: So... when do you plan to tell us?**

 **Marcus: How'd you get in here?!**

 **Koa: I... used the door?**

 **Both: Next time: Blue Meets Red!**


	6. Chapter 6: Blue Meets Red

**So, now, with the trailers and profile sheet out of the way, we can begin this for real! This may seem like the original episode 1 with my own twist, but either way, it's underway.  
**

 **I only own my OCs, RWBY is property of Roosterteeth Productions.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Blue Meets Red**

 **Title Song: This Will Be The Day - RWBY OST**

* * *

 _… A few years later._

 _… Legends. Stories scattered throughout time. Mankind has grown quite fond of recounting the exploits of heroes and villains, forgetting so easy that we are remnants, byproducts of a forgotten past. Man, born from dust, was strong, wise and resourceful. But he was born into an unforgiving world. An inevitable darkness, creatures of destruction: the Creatures of Grimm, set their sights on man and all of his creations. These forces clashed, and it seemed the darkness was intent on returning man's brief existence to the void. However, even the smallest spark of hope is enough to ignite change. And in time, man's passion, resourcefulness and ingenuity led them to the tools that would help even the odds. This power was appropriately named: Dust. Nature's wrath in hand, man lit their way through the darkness, and in shadow's absence came strength, civilisation, but more importantly, life. But even the most brilliant of lights eventually flicker and die. And when they are gone, darkness will return. So you may prepare your guardians, build your monuments to a so-called free world, but take heed. There will be no victory in strength…_

 _… But perhaps victory is in the simpler things that you've long forgotten-things that require a smaller, more honest soul..._

* * *

Late evening. The kingdom of Vale. Most people had gone home, returned to their families and comforting homes while others still roamed the streets. Lots of shops and businesses were shut, but there were some occasions where shops stayed open at a time like this.

One shop was 'From Dust 'til Dawn', a dust shop in downtown Vale. In the back of the store was a small security room, with a few monitors that flickered between different cameras in the store, and a couple outside the front door. A young man was leaning back in the chair, his feet on the desk, his eyes lazily scanning each camera.

This young man was wearing a blue open jacket with silver trims over a dark grey shirt, with a pendant around his neck which had a lightning bolt under a boomerang, both of which were on a shield. Waist down, he wore black pants and boots. Hung on the chair behind him was a pair of boomerangs, magnetised to holsters which he clipped to his belt.

"Don't worry Jas, this job is just something to earn some lien before I apply for Beacon Academy," He said into a microphone. It was wired up to his scroll, which was on a dock on the desk.

A message popped up on screen, from Jasmine Diali, the person he was talking to. 'Just be careful if anything does happen, ok? I'd hate for something to happen to you while I wasn't there.'

"Jasmine… I'll be fine, just focus on finishing your homework for tomorrow," The teen said.

'Alright Koa, see you at the weekend,' Jasmine texted to him, before the call ended.

Koa sighed, leaning back in his chair. He then spotted a young girl in a red hood walking into the store, and move to the magazines section in the back. He blinked, recognising the girl as Ruby Rose, Jasmine's classmate at Signal Academy.

Ruby wore a red cloak with a hood covering most of her face, along with a metal contraption under the cloak at her waist. She was dressed in a black blouse, a black waist cincher with red lacing and a black skirt with red trimmings. She had cross shaped pins holding her cloak to her shirt. Around her waist is a belt holding several large cartridges in individual loops and a magazine pouch. Finally, on her belt is a silver rose emblem, and she was wearing black leggings and black boots with red laces.

Noting she pulled out a weapons magazine, Koa chuckled, looking at the other screens. His face showed a frown when he noticed several men in black clothing with red ties, sunglasses and black bowler hats. They were being led by a man wearing a red-lined white suit and a small grey scarf along with black gloves with rounded sleeves, black pants and shoes. On his neat and tidy orange hair, he wore a black bowler hat with a red band and a small feather. His eyes were slanted, and were dark green, and had black eyeliner on.

"This could be bad…" Koa observed. "That's Roman Torchwick if I'm not wrong…"

Standing up, he clipped his weapons to his belt, before heading out of the small security room, just as Roman and his men entered the store. He stuck his head out slightly from behind an isle, and grit his teeth, counting Roman, plus maybe seven or eight henchmen.

Roman removed his cigar, looking at the cashier, and Koa's temporary boss. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a dust shop open this late?" He asked. As he spoke, one of his goons raised a pistol, aiming it at the man's face.

"Please, just take my lien and leave," The old man begged.

"Ssshhh. We're not here for your money…" Roman assured the cashier. "Grab the dust," He ordered his men.

They take canisters and move to extract dust from the dispensers while another has the cashier load dust crystals into a case. "Crystals. Burnt, uncut," He instructed, having the man get said dust from under the glass case.

As another henchman moves to begin extracting some dust, he heard music coming from the corner, and turned to see Ruby, completely oblivious to the situation.

"Alright kid, hands where I can see them," he said, pulling out a red sword and advancing on her. "Hey! I said hands in the air now! You got a death wish or something?" He demanded.

He grabbed her shoulder, causing her hood to drop, revealing a pale face with silver eyes and short black hair with red tips.

"Huh?" She asked. The henchman points to his own ear, signifying her to take off her headphones. The girl takes them off, before speaking.

"Yes?" She asked calmly.

"I said, put your hands in the air! Now!" The thug growled.

"Are… you robbing me?" She asked him.

"YES!" The thug roared back.

"Ohhhhh…" Ruby said, smirking slightly.

Koa blinked as he watched her kick him to the front of the store. _Hey… that's my job…_ He complained in his head.

Meanwhile Roman nods with his head to another henchman to go after her. He runs up, pulling out his gun. "Freeze!" He ordered.

A moment later, Ruby kicked him out the store, through the window, the girl using him as a board. All the other goons look out to see her in the street, the metal contraption on her back now extending into a powerful looking sniper/scythe fusion. She gave a smirk, before twirling her weapon off her shoulder, slamming it into the ground, while turning off her headphones.

Koa blinked, then chuckled. _So this is the infamous Crescent Rose that Jasmine doesn't stop telling me about._ He thought. As he did, he gripped his weapons, ready to join in.

"O…kay…" Roman said, almost uncertain. "Get her," He ordered his men.

Three charge out immediately, running at the girl. Ruby dodged a swing from the first goon's sword, then swings her body around on her scythe and lands a double kick to the thug's face, knocking him out. She then pulled a trigger, firing the sniper rifle within and spinning her around as one end of her weapon collides with him. The third is taken down by Ruby slamming the back end of the blade down onto him. A fourth runs outside, firing a sub-machine gun at her. Ruby dodges by firing her weapon behind her, shooting over to him and sweeping her opponent's feet out from him, she shoves her blade into the ground, stopping her and letting her spin around to slam her weapon into her last foe.

Three more rush out of the store, but before they can do anything, a metal boomerang flies across them, hitting one of them in the knee, sending him to the ground. The boomerang spun around, back through the window and into the open hand of Koa, who holds it, and the other in his hands.

"Sorry, but the store is now closed," He said, tossing a boomerang out the window, before leaping through it himself, catching the blade of one thug with the curve of his other. He then yanked the sword out of the man's grip, before driving the metal object into his gut. Meanwhile, the first boomerang slammed into the other's face, causing him to fall back, unconscious, at Roman's feet.

The man took out his cigar, stomping it with his cane. "Well, Red and Blue, I think I can say this has an eventful evening. And as much as I would love to stick around," He said, raising his cane, pointing the end at them, "I'm afraid this… is where we part ways," He said, a reticle popping up off the bottom, he then fired a dust shot at them.

Koa was quick to raise a domed shield, protecting himself and Ruby from danger, but when the smoke cleared, Roman was gone. The two teens looked around, and Koa pointed to the older man, climbing up a ladder to a rooftop.

"You going to be alright?" Koa asked the owner.

"Alright for us to go after him?" Ruby added.

"Uh huh," The man nodded.

Ruby pointed her scythe at the ground and fired, letting the recoil from the shot lift her up to the roof, while Koa created a slanted path of blue light with his semblance, and quickly ascended after her.

"Leaving so soon?" They both asked.

"Jinx," Koa added. Ruby pouted at that.

"Persistent…" Roman muttered. Suddenly, a Bullhead-Class VTOL airship lifted up from the street below, and Roman clambered into the open passenger bay.

He pulled out a red dust crystal, "End of the line blue and red!" He called down, throwing the crystal, then firing his cane at it.

Koa was about to raise a shield, before he could, someone else shielded them from the blast. He and Ruby blinked as a blonde woman stood with a calm attitude, despite the fact she was in combat. She was wearing a white long-sleeved suit that exposed part of her chest, and puffy sleeves that tighten at the wrist before folding back on themselves just before her hands. Waist down, she was wearing a black business skirt with buttons that run down in a vertical line of it and lighter black-brown stockings. She had on a pair of black boots with brown heels and had a cape on, that was purple inside and black on the outside, decorated by a row of diamond-shaped brown beads horizontally along her cape. Above the beads is an emblem of a tiara. She had in her hand some kind of riding crop.

The method she used to protect Koa and Ruby was a large purple glyph of some sort. It faded, and the woman adjusted her glasses before releasing a series of purple blasts at the ship, hitting the side. Roman struggled to keep his balance, before heading up to the cockpit.

As he did so, the woman launched another bolt of purple energy over the ship, which formed a cloud. She lowered her crop, and icicle shards rain down upon the ship, almost skewering Roman in the cockpit, but causing no solid damage to the ship.

Koa noted a woman now standing where Roman had been, who promptly began launching a salvo of fireballs at the trio. The woman was about to block, but Koa stood up, catching the attack with his semblance. The blonde blinked, not expecting such a thing, but quickly recovered as the fire splatters off his shield and onto the ground. The woman on the ship raised her hands, causing columns of fire to shoot up. Koa leaps back, while the blonde grabbed Ruby, leaping back herself.

The huntress then gathers up the debris from that attack, forming a spear and launching it at the bullhead. The red-dressed woman on the ship blocked with a couple of bolts of fire, but the blonde woman reconfigured the spear, continuing her attack.

Roman tilted the ship into the attack, dampening the blow. The blonde takes the remains of her attack and turns it into smaller projectiles that dance around the ship. Koa decided to twist his boomerangs at their centre, activating the lightning dust inside.

Swiping across in front of him, he lets off six crescent shaped arcs of lightning energy, which close in on the bullhead.

The woman in the ship noticed the two different attacks, releasing a heat wave that destroyed both the purple projectiles and Koa's lightning arcs.

Ruby folds Crescent Rose into a compact form, aiming and firing at the woman, but she raised her hand, calmly blocking the rounds with her hand, before waving said hand, causing more explosions under their feet. Koa grabs Ruby and kicks off the ground with his semblance, while the woman flips away.

It seemed that Roman and his accomplice were done, the door closing and the Bullhead flying off into the night. Koa sighed, holstering his boomerangs. "Well… this was definitely the most exciting shift of my life. Wait 'til Jas hears about this, she'll freak."

Ruby looks at the older woman, a big grin on her face and her eyes as big as golf balls. "You're a huntress," She observed. "Can I have your autograph!?"

The woman glanced at Koa, who just shrugged, "Don't look at me."

* * *

 _Why am I here? I was doing my job…_ Koa frowned. The woman had practically dragged him and Ruby down to a nearby police station and thrown into an interrogation room.

"I hope you realise that your actions tonight will not be taken lightly young lady. You put yourself and others in great danger," The woman said to Ruby. Earlier, she had stated her name was Glynda Goodwitch.

"They started it!" Ruby defended herself.

"And you," Goodwitch turns on Koa. "What exactly were you thinking, charging in like that."

"Please… those minions were cannon fodder, a piece of cake. Plus, it was my job to deal with the threats to Dust 'til Dawn, and if possible, return any stolen wares. Roman made off with a few crystals he had gotten, and I wanted to get them back," Koa explained.

"If it were up to me. You'd both be sent home. With a pat on the back…" Goodwitch sighed, to which Ruby started to smile.

 _Wait for it…_ Koa observed.

"… And a slap on the wrist," The blonde finished, slamming her crop down on the table, causing Ruby to flinch and Koa to blink.

"But, there is someone here who would like to meet you," Goodwitch finished, then stepped aside.

A man walked through the darkened door, with a coffee mug in one hand and a plate of cookies in the other. The man is middle-aged with tousle grey hair, black eyebrows and thin brown eyes. He was wearing shaded glass spectacles and a dark-green scarf with a small, purple, cross shaped emblem on it. He was wearing an unzipped black suit over a buttoned vest and green undershirt, along with black trouser shoes and long, dark-green pants.

"Ruby Rose…" He began, looking her in the eye, "You… have silver eyes," He says out of nowhere.

"U-um…" Ruby blinked, feeling odd at the strange observation.

"So! Where did you learn to do this?" The man asked, Goodwitch bringing up a video recording of Ruby's fight with the criminals earlier.

Koa frowned, _only staff of Dust 'Til Dawn can access that footage._

"S-Signal Academy," Ruby nervously answered.

"They taught you to use one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?" The man asked.

"Well… one teacher in particular…" Ruby replied.

"It's true sir," Koa spoke up. "All students at Signal learn how to use the weapons they crafted themselves. I don't know her personally, but one of my friends can tell you she's very skilled."

"Please Mr. Maru, I'd like to hear it from Miss Rose," The man said. Koa bowed his head, knowing he spoke out of line. Meanwhile, he had put down the cookies, and Ruby began wolfing them down, after offering some to Koa, who takes two, before letting them get inhaled.

"It's just… I've only ever seen one other scythe-wielder of that skill before. A dusty old crow…" He said, glancing up as he recalled such a thought.

Ruby was about to answer with a mouthful of cookie, but Koa put a hand on her shoulder. "Swallow. Then speak," He reminded her.

She did so, then spoke up, "That's my Uncle Qrow. He's a teacher at Signal. I was complete garbage before he took me under his wing. Now, I'm all like waaaa! Watchaaa!" Ruby almost made a full explanation, before she had to go into making karate noises and chops.

The man makes a small smile, "So I've noticed," He said, before turning to Koa.

"Koa Maru is it?" He asked, causing the young man to nod calmly. "Could you explain how you learnt such skill with such a unique weapon?" He asked.

"Ever since I was four years old, I had a boomerang, loved the thing to bits. I would take it to the local park when it was quiet and throw it around, always amazed at how it would return to me no matter what. When I applied at Signal, and got to forging my weapon, I decided to continue my love for the Boomerang, and made my weapon, Return to Sender," Koa said.

"A toy inspired you to make one into a weapon?" The old man gave a smile. "That's good, I have said before that those early years can define a person's path," He chuckled. He then turned back to Ruby.

"Back to you. Why would an adorable girl such as yourself be at a school designed to train warriors?" He asked her.

"Well… I want to be a huntress," She replied firmly.

"You want to slay monsters?" The old man asked.

Yeah. I only have two more years of training left at Signal, and then I'm going to apply at Beacon. See, my sister's starting there this year and she's trying to become a huntress and I'm trying to become a huntress 'cuz I want to help people. My parents always taught us to help others so I thought, 'Uh you know, might as well make a career out of it' heh. I mean, the police are alright, byt huntsmen and huntresses are just so much more romantic and exciting and cool, just-just gosh-uh-you know," Ruby said, her speech becoming faster as she spoke.

"Gosh… All in a single breath. Impressive," Koa chuckled.

"Ruby Rose. Koa Maru. Do you know who I am?" The man asked.

"You're Professor Ozpin. You're the headmaster of Beacon," Both said at the same time.

"Jinx," Koa said again.

"Aw man…" Ruby pouted.

"Hm. Hello," Ozpin smiled.

"Nice to meet you," Ruby said.

"You want to come to my school?" Ozpin asked Ruby first.

"More than anything," She replied without hesitation.

Ozpin glances back at Goodwitch, who rolled her eyes and grunts, before the two turn to Koa.

"And you?" He asked.

Koa paused, frowning a little bit, "It's not that simple for me…" He said.

"Explain," Ozpin prompted him.

"It's because of Jasmine," Both older folks turn to Ruby.

"Jasmine?" Ozpin asked.

"Jas is in Ruby's class at Signal, but is really timid around people she doesn't know very well," Koa said. "I was planning to enrol at Beacon, knowing she'd be safe with Ruby, but with her getting advanced two years early, I'm concerned about her."

Goodwitch seemed to tap away at her scroll, and a moment later, a profile with the picture of a young woman with two fox ears above blonde hair popped up on screen.

Ozpin took the scroll, "Mute before starting at Signal?" He asked, intrigued.

"It's a long and very painful story sir. I really don't want to bring it up," Koa sighed. Ozpin nodded, and glanced back down.

"It says here that she's a very capable fighter," Ozpin read more of the file. "Koa Maru, I have a proposition for you."

* * *

Koa sat at the window of an airship, looking down at the city of Vale below him. "Wonder if the view from Beacon will be better than this one?" He muttered, before turning to the smaller person sat next to him.

She was younger than him, at fifteen of age. She had soft, golden blonde hair that covered her left eye partially, pretty pale complexion and dark red eyes. A pair of fox ears were poking out of her hair, twitching occasionally at different noises around them.

She was wearing a light-yellow combat dress under an open white cardigan. White leggings come out of her dress, down to light-yellow and white sneakers. A white hairband was tucked in front of her ears, preventing any stray locks from itching her ears. A white ribbon was wrapped around a long, golden fluffy tail with a white tip, which right now was wrapped around to her side.

The girl pulled out a pen, pressing the button on the end. 'I can't believe you agreed to his idea!' She wrote out the words in the air using the light dust in her pen. As she wrote, it was made evident she was extremely nervous, as shown by her shaky handwriting.

"Jas, you'll be fine!" Koa told her, putting a hand around her onto her far shoulder. "You've already shown much greater proficiency with combat than most of your classmates, Professors Branwen and Brick have both admitted that your grades were top notch, and let's never forget your field experience."

Jasmine Diali exhaled, and nodded, 'Right… I think Beacon should be coming up soon,' She wrote with her pen, glancing out the window.

Koa noticed the news report, which had an image of Roman Torchwick posing for a mugshot.

"… The robbery was led by notorious criminal Roman Torchwick, who continues to evade authorities. If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Vale Police Department. Back to you Lisa."

"Thank you, Cyril. In other news, this Saturday's Faunus civil rights protest turned dark when members of the White Fang disrupted the ceremony. The once peaceful organisation has now disrupted…" The broadcast shuts off, and a hologram of Glynda Goodwitch takes its place.

"Hello, and welcome to Beacon." The hologram began. "My name is Glynda Goodwitch.

"You are among the privileged few who have received the honour of being selected to attend this prestigious academy. Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future huntsmen and huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task, and now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world," Goodwitch's hologram said, before turning off.

Koa felt his shoulder poked by Jasmine, and followed her finger, seeing Ruby talking with a taller, blonde girl.

She wore a tan jacket that bares her lower stomach, with golden brown piping and short, puffy sleeves with black cuffs that feature two gold buttons. Underneath this, she wore a low cut yellow crop top with her emblem on the left breast in black.

She also wore a brown belt covered by a pleated brown piece of material reaching from hip to hip around the back of her waist, with her emblem, a heart shaped flame, emblazoned on the right-most pleat in gold. Underneath this is a longer, white, asymmetrical piece of material reaching to her knee on the right side, as well as a pair of black mini-shorts. She wore a pair of brown, knee-high boots and orange over-the-knee socks, with the right sock pushed down just below the knee. A lavender bandana is tied around her left knee. An orange infinity scarf and black fingerless gloves complete her outfit.

Koa smiled, "You wanna go over and say hi?" He asked. The fox Faunus nodded, so the two friends went over to the red and yellow clothed girls.

"Yo," Koa waved, as they approached.

The blonde was first to notice them, "Koa," She smiled, putting an arm out.

Koa took it, and they gripped tight. "Been a while since we last saw each other," He said with a grin.

"Indeed, it has," Yang nodded.

"You know each other?" Ruby asked.

"We were in the forge at the same time when we forged our weapons. We then saw each other quite often when we did training," Yang explained.

"Formal introduction time, I'm Koa Maru," The teen in blue said.

"I'm Yang Xiao Long," The busty blonde said.

"I'm Ruby Rose, Yang's sister," The red hooded girl smiled.

Jasmine pulled out her pen, and wrote in the air, 'I am Jasmine Diali.'

Yang was puzzled, "What's with the pen?" She asked.

Ruby answered, "Jasmine is mute, sis," She told her.

Yang's mouth formed a perfect 'O', "I'm sorry to hear that kid," She said.

Ruby suddenly pointed down out the window, "Look, you can see Signal from here!" She said.

True enough, the four warriors-in-training glanced down, seeing the spires of their former academy below. "I guess home isn't that far away after all," Ruby sighed, Jasmine putting a knowing hand on her shoulder.

"Beacon is our home now," Yang said.

"Right, look to the future you two," Koa nodded.

A blonde boy nearby suddenly gagged, and ran past the four, trying to hold in his lunch, "Guess the view isn't for everyone," Yang observed.

"Looked like motion sickness, Jasmine used to have that, but she got over it," Koa chuckled.

Jasmine's enhanced sense of smell then picked up a foul scent from the floor, and glanced down, pointing to Yang's shoe.

Ruby followed the girl's finger, "Ew! Yang, you have puke on your shoe!" She told the blonde, who glanced down.

"Gross, gross, gross, gross," She muttered.

"Get away from me, get away from me, get away from me!" Ruby wailed, running away as Yang ran after her, trying to wipe off the unpleasant mess from her shoe.

Koa and Jasmine laughed, although Jasmine just made the gesture, she couldn't make sounds of course. "Looks like things are going to be interesting for the next four years, and we haven't even met any new people yet."

* * *

 **Koa: So, it's begun.**

 **Jasmine: 'So, let's see what happens next!'**

 **Koa: Well, I think it should be obvious.**

 **Both: Next Time: Welcome to Beacon!**


	7. Chapter 7: Welcome to Beacon

**Wow, an update for all three fics in the space of seven days! Now, let's see how Koa and the gang handle arriving and spending their first night at Beacon!**

 **Enjoy like always!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Welcome to Beacon**

 **Title Song: Butter-Fly - Kodoku Ver.**

* * *

Koa gave a huge whistle as he stepped off the airship, "Whoa…" He said, looking up at the biggest building in Vale. "Colour me impressed."

He then quickly pulled aside Jasmine as the same queasy blonde boy who threw up on the flight rushed to the nearest trash can to heave up the rest of his lunch. Other students disembarking wisely gave him a wide berth.

'I think we head to the auditorium, don't we?' Jasmine wrote out. New students were stepping off multiple airships, approaching the school via a long avenue leading up to the main school building. In front was a large courtyard with tall, double rings of arches. Several trees, and light-poles with flags hanging from them lined the avenue. Just before the entrance to the amphitheatre is a large statue of a huntsman and huntress standing on top of a rock, with a beowolf beneath.

"Yeah, but I'm curious, who else could be coming to this school?" Koa asked. Nearby, Ruby and Yang had stepped off the ship.

Ruby looked like she was going to float away with all the different weapons that she could see, Jasmine wasn't that far behind. Yang grabbed her sister by her hood, while Koa gave Jasmine a scratching on her fox ears.

"Slow down, opening ceremony first, mingle second," He reminded her.

"Why would I need to make friends when I have Koa, Jasmine and you?" Ruby was asking Yang.

"… Well, my friends are here now, so we're going ahead, gotta catch up, see ya!" Yang said, as some other students ran over, pulling her away, leaving Jasmine and Ruby spinning from the force.

"Wait… where are we going? Aren't we supposed to go to our dorms? Where are our dorms? Do we have dorms?" Ruby asked.

Koa reached to grab the two dizzy girls, but came up short, instead, they collided with a mountain of white suitcases.

Koa eyed the emblem on the cases, and narrowed his eyes. _Uh oh… that's the logo for the Schnee Dust Company…_ He thought.

"What are you two dunces doing?!" Asked a female voice.

Koa looked at the newcomer, and sighed. She was taller than Ruby, but that was due to the white, heeled wedge boots that climbed to her mid-calves. She wore a pale-blue/white small, open jacket over the same colour thigh-high dress with black lace at the neckline. The inside of the jacket was red, and the sleeves turned blue the further down towards her wrists.

She had white hair and ice blue eyes, with a crooked scar down the left eye. At her waist, attached to her belt was a rapier with a revolving chamber filled with various dust.

"Oh… sorry," Ruby said, stumbling to her feet. Jasmine nodded, self-righting a suitcase.

"Sorry?! Do you have any idea of the damage you could have caused?" The white-haired girl yelled at the two.

Ruby picked up a suitcase, handing it back to her. "U-uh…" She stuttered.

"Give me that!" the girl scowled, snatching back the case and checking the contents. "This is dust, mined and purified by the Schnee quarry!"

Jasmine noticed a suitcase had been knocked open, and quickly tried putting several vials of dust back in.

The Schnee girl noticed, "Hey! What do you think you're doing?! Dirty Faunus, get away from there!" She yelled, pushing Jasmine aside and tidying her belongings herself. "Stupid animals shouldn't handle such a delicate item."

Koa had grown tired of her attitude, "Hey!" He said, stepping between her and Jasmine. "That is enough!" He told her.

"And who do you think you are? This doesn't concern you," The girl said.

"It does when my friends are being picked on by a snobby, spoilt princess who thinks that just because she's part of the Schnee family, thinks she can bully anyone she wants," Koa scowled. "Your status and heritage means NOTHING to me."

"How dare you?!" The Schnee said.

"Let me get one thing straight ice queen," Koa said, getting really in her face. "If I see you say anymore racist comments to ANY Faunus in this school, you'll be on a one-way trip off that cliff _without_ a parachute," He said, pointing behind her. "Am I clear?"

The rich girl opened her mouth, but closed it when she saw the scowl on his face, she relented. "Crystal," She simply said, but glared at him and the girls.

"Good, come on girls, let's get moving," Koa said, turning and leaving the Schnee to her luggage.

As the three walked away, Ruby turned to Koa, "Remind me never to say something mean to your friends," she said.

"I'd say you performed that extremely well," Koa blinked, hearing another girl, this one in black, speaking, reading a book.

Jasmine glanced over, and reeled back slightly in shock. It was Blake Belladonna! "Thank you," Koa said, "But I don't like going into butcher mode like that… in fact, I'll need to meditate to set my head straight as soon as this opening ceremony is done."

"You had the right mindset though," Blake said. Jasmine then noticed that the black-haired girl wore a bow over her cat ears, hiding them from the public eye. "Blake," She said.

"Koa Maru, this is Jasmine Diali and Ruby Rose," Koa said.

Blake separated from the group as they walked inside. "Ruby! I saved you a spot!" Yang called over.

"See you guys after the ceremony," Ruby said to her friends.

Koa and Jasmine stood off to the left, and waited calmly.

Soon enough, Professor Ozpin made his appearance, with Goodwitch at his flank. "I'll… keep this brief," He began. "You have come here in search of knowledge to hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you have finished you will have dedicated your life to protecting the people." He paused, looking around the room. "But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy. In need of purpose and direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this. But your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only take you so far. It's up to you to take the first step."

Goodwitch then took the microphone, "You will all gather in the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed."

With that, she walked after Ozpin. "He seemed a little odd… but his speech has reminded me that I can't ever stop learning," Koa said.

* * *

That night, Jasmine emerged from the girls' changing room, wearing a white yukata with yellow flower designs.

"Yo, you with the cute tail," Jasmine blinked, hearing the call, and turned to see a lavender haired girl wearing a black crop top with pink straps and grey mini-shorts heading over. Jasmine then spotted the two ears poking out of her hair. Two small dogs with stubby legs were at her feet, one white, one black.

'Can I help you?' Jasmine nervously asked through her dust pen.

"Um… yeah… don't you have a pillow?" The girl asked. Jasmine twirled her tail around to be in front of her. "Ah, good point, but won't that be uncomfortable?" Asked the other Faunus.

Jasmine grabbed the girl's hand, and put it on her tail. "Whoa… that… is… fluffeh…" The girl blinked.

'I take care to make sure it stays that way 24/7,' Jasmine wrote out.

"What's your name?" Asked the wolf Faunus.

'Jasmine Diali, at your service,' Jasmine smiled.

"Lilo Fuchsia," The wolf girl smiled back.

"Ah, there you are," The girls looked over to see Koa walking over, wearing a light blue pyjama t-shirt and black pyjama shorts. He had a sleeping bag under his arm, and a book on top. "I was starting to worry," He said. "Who's your friend?"

"I'm Lilo, these are the pups, Shadow and Snowfall," The wolf said, pointing to the dogs behind her, the black one first, then the white one.

"Koa Maru," The black-haired boy held a hand out, which Lilo shook.

"Piece of advice to you both, those four over there?" Lilo pointed to four big young men that were showing off what muscle they had. "I've been here for one day, and I've already heard rumours those four are bad news."

"Advice noted, thank you," Koa nodded. "You're welcome to come and join us at the spot I found," He said to the wolf Faunus.

"Thank you, I think I will take you up on that offer, I saw you at the window over on the far side from the squabble over there," Lilo pointed to Ruby, Yang and the Schnee girl from earlier bickering about something petty probably.

* * *

"Sleep tight kiddo," Koa smiled, tucking Jasmine into her sleeping bag, before glancing over to Lilo, who was watching him with her head on a hand.

"You care about her, don't you?" She asked.

"Jas has had a… difficult life… she can be very delicate sometimes," Koa said.

"Is… that the reason because she's mute?" Lilo asked.

Koa sighed, glancing out the window, "Yeah… it is…" He then blew out the candle next to the window, bathing them in darkness.

* * *

The next morning, Koa woke to the sound of a cheerful girl with orange hair loudly waking a boy with black hair with a streak of pink.

The girl was wearing a white sleeveless top that forms a tiny heart shape between her cleavage and collarbone, with a white detached sleeve on each arm. She wore matching fingerless gloves on each hand. She sported a pink skirt that starts at the waist and ends mid-thigh. Her shoes were a mix of pink and white with pink laces, displaying her emblem on their soles.

She also wore armour that begins in the middle of the shoulder and neck and ends by the waist.

Her friend, the black-haired, pink-streaked boy wore a dark green, diagonally-buttoned, long-sleeved tailcoat that is red on the inside, with black and gold trimming and pink cuffs. The trimming goes down the right side of his torso and forms a black collar. He wore a black, long-sleeved shirt beneath the suit, and light-tan pants with black shoes.

With him awake, Koa yawned, before turning to his friend, who was curled up close to him. "Jas… come on, we need to ready up for initiation," He told her.

The fox Faunus stirred, before letting out a silent yawn, sitting up. Nearby, a certain wolf Faunus picked up the noise, and stirred as well.

"Morning Koa, Jassy," She muttered through a yawn of her own. She then shook her furry friends awake, "Come on you two, up you get. If you're quick, maybe we can ask the chef for any leftover ham."

A moment later, she laughed, "Ok, settle down, I have a routine to go through, remember?" She said, seemingly to no one.

* * *

Getting dressed, the three cleaned their teeth, had some breakfast and tidied up their sleeping bags. As they did, Koa noticed that the orange haired girl from earlier was _still_ rambling on, in the same train of conversation from when they had woken up.

'Jeez… She must have had chocolate coated toffee under a stick of candyfloss last night, no one is this hyper, not even Ruby after a full plate of cookies,' Jasmine wrote out.

"You know… I was thinking the same, how is she still going?" Lilo asked, as they took their plates over to where people were stacking up the dishes in an organised fashion.

They entered the locker room, and split up, heading to the lockers they had left their weapons last night. Koa pulled out his metallic holsters, and put them on the desk, then he went into the locker and pulled out a case. Then, he took off a couple of clips, and the boomerangs opened, allowing Koa to take a look at the Lightning dust vials inside.

"Yeah, better top up so I don't run out today," He muttered, whistling as he set to work.

"Interesting weapon concept," A voice said from next to him, and he glanced up to see a boy in black and slate-grey loading custom shells into some kind of axe.

"I could say the same," Koa smirked, returning to his work. "What's your weapon? And your name for that matter," He asked, taking out the vials and filling them up with more dust.

"My name is Onyx Stone, and this is an axe with a slug thrower in the handle, I call it Obsidian Rage," He said, putting his weapon into it's compact form on his back. "You?" He asked.

"Two heavy-weighted, lightning-dust-infused boomerangs, and my name is Koa Maru," Koa said, closing them up, tossing up both and catching them with ease. He grabbed his magnetic holsters and clipped them to his waist, then connected his weapons to them.

* * *

Nearby, Jasmine pulled out her weapon, and also clipped several extra magazines to her belt. She checked all the functions, and smiled.

Her weapon had been inspired by the weapon she used to flee from the White Fang facility. It was primarily a lance, but there was a pair of hinges on the bottom, which could open up to reveal a kind of shotgun, down at the handle, under the guard, was a trigger, which opened the weapon's tip. A button on the bottom of the hilt would retract the tip, then fold the head around so she could clip it to her back.

Next to her, Lilo was placing magazines into a pair of open slots on her gauntlets, then she checked the spring-release for the claws, extending them with a satisfying _SHINK!_

"Ready for initiation kid?" She asked Jasmine.

Jasmine nodded. She then glanced around at some of the other students, and blinked, setting her eyes on a red haired girl talking with the white haired Schnee girl from yesterday.

She wore her red hair in a waist-length ponytail, curled slightly into a loose ringlet. She also had light-green eyeshadow around her green eyes, and she was very tall and much more muscular than other girls she had met so far.

She wore a brown overbust corset with a vertical brown strip down the center. She also wore an elastic, black A-line mini skirt and brown opera-length gloves on both her arms. She wore a red ankle-length sash that wrapped around her skirt. She wore elaborate bronze greaves that started below the mid-thigh before continuing downwards to her boots, as well as a pair of cuisses that began mid-thigh and ended slightly above her knees. She also had a bronze bracer on her left arm. Her high-heeled boots were brown with bronze trim, matching her skirt and sleeves, reaching up to her mid-calf.

On her right hip was a small bronze, circular plate, on of which was an emblem of a shield and spear. She wore a brown circlet around her head with a pair of small, green, teardrop-shaped emeralds on thin chains. She also wore a large bronze gorget around her neck and a bracelet upon the upper half of her left arm.

 _NO WAY!_ Jasmine gasped with starry eyes. _PYRRHA NIKOS?!_ Excusing herself to Lilo, who was a slight bit confused by her sudden departure.

"… well… I was hoping we could be on the same team together?" The white haired girl was saying.

"Well, that sounds…" She paused, noticing they had a newcomer heading their way. "Can I help you?" She asked Jasmine.

'Yes please! I'm your BIGGEST fan!' Jasmine grinned as she wrote out.

"Oh, glad to meet you…" Pyrrha trailed off.

'My name is Jasmine Diali, I was kind of hoping you'd sign something for me…' Jasmine wrote out, pulling a magazine from her satchel. On it was the red-haired girl, with a headline. _Champion of Mistal does it again!_

"Of course," Pyrrha smiled. She took a pen and the magazine from Jasmine, and was about to write her signature, when Koa walked up.

"Morning ice queen," He nodded calmly to the Schnee. "And Mistral's champion, this is a surprise."

He bowed slightly to her, then he straightened, "I'd like to make a point here to you Miss Pyrrha, that while we are classmates, I will treat you like any other student here."

"Thank you," Pyrrha nodded. "And I will treat the three of you with the same respect."

"Sorry about yesterday Miss Schnee, my name is Koa Maru," The black-haired boy bowed to the white-haired girl.

"Hmmph, apology accepted Koa. But call me Weiss if you must say anything," The Schnee said. She glanced at Jasmine, then walked away.

Koa glanced down at Jasmine, "Oh no… were you pestering her?" He asked, seeing the magazine and pen that was currently in Pyrrha's hands. "You'll have plenty of time to fangirl, come on," He told her.

 _"Will all first year students please report to Beacon cliff for initiation? Again, all first year students report to Beacon cliff immediately,"_ Goodwitch's voice announced over a PA system.

"Well, see ya later Pyrrha," Koa said, pulling Jasmine away to the exit, with Jasmine waving back to her idol.

* * *

 **Koa: So, it's about to begin.**

 **Lilo: How're things going to go?**

 **Koa: Just wait and see!**

 **All: Next time: The First Step!**


	8. Chapter 8: The First Step

**And action! Time to see what everyone is made of in the Emerald Forest, good luck down there guys!**

 **I only own my OCs, RWBY belongs to Roosterteeth.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: The First Step**

 **Title Song: The Liberation of Gracemeria (Ace Combat 6 OST)  
**

* * *

All the students soon were standing in a line, on a cliff above a massive forest. Every one of them were standing on stone plates, that clearly looked like some kind of mechanism. The line went something like this, it was, from right to left, the boy who threw up on the airship, Koa, Ruby, Yang, Lilo (With Snowfall and Shadow), Jasmine, a male student, the green garbed young man, the orange haired girl, Onyx, then some other students.

"For years, you have trained to become warriors, and your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest," Ozpin explained calmly, before sipping his coffee.

"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumours about assignment of teams. Allow us to end your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates. Today," Goodwitch explained.

"What? Oh…" Ruby seemed nervous.

"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is within your best interest to be paired with someone whom which you can work well with," Ozpin went on.

"Oh no…" Ruby muttered with dread.

"That being said, the first person you make eye contact with will be your partner for the next four years," Ozpin finished.

"WHAT?!" Ruby yelled, her hopes shattered in an instant.

"See! I told you!" The orange haired girl told her friend.

"After you have partnered up, make your way to the far end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path, or you will die," Ozpin instructed.

"Heh heh…" Vomit boy chuckled nervously.

"You might need to plant a few new trees when I'm done sir," Lilo grinned.

"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of the initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path, containing several relics. Each pair must take one and return it to the top of the cliff. We shall regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?" Ozpin asked.

"Permission to go first?" Lilo laughed.

"Denied," Ozpin chuckled, to which she pouted.

"Yeah. Um… sir?" the vomit boy began.

"Good, take your positions," Ozpin commanded.

At his instruction, several students took out their weapons, while others got into their stances.

"Uh… sir? I have a question," Koa's immediate neighbour tried to gain Ozpin's attention, while Weiss was launched first, shooting into the air.

"So… are you dropping us off somewhere?" He asked.

"No. You will be falling," Ozpin answered. More students are sent flying, followed by Onyx.

"Oh, I see… So, did you like… hand out parachutes?" Vomit Boy tried again.

"No. You will be using your own landing strategy," Ozpin said. The orange haired girl, her green clothed friend and Jasmine are launched, the third of the three waving to her friends before suddenly vanishing.

"Uh-huh, that," Koa sighed at his nervousness.

"What's your name?" He asked the boy.

"Jaune Arc," The blonde shrugged.

"Suck it up kid, get ready for a bumpy ride, I'd get that sword out and aim for a tree," He chuckled as Lilo, Yang, who put on a pair of aviator glasses before taking off, and Ruby all left as well.

Koa glanced down at his platform, then up at Ozpin, "Welcome to Beacon…" He sighed, before getting sprung into the air.

The blonde boy gulped, and pulled out his sword, "Ok… what neEEEEEXXXXTTTT!?" He yelped as he was launched.

* * *

Onyx Stone flew like an arrow through the air as he shot over the forest, until gravity took him down. He pulled out his weapon, Obsidian Rage, extending it to full and hooking it horizontally around a large tree, the blade digging in. Onyx rode the spin cycle around the tree until he was slow enough to jump free.

Stopping on the closest branch, he glanced up, and spotted several other students coming down. Ruby fired three shots from her weapon before extending it to it's scythe form, hooking the blade around a branch before releasing herself after slowing down. Weiss conjured up some kind of glyphs, hopping off them like trampolines. Pyrrha slammed through two trees with her shield before landing in a rolling crouch, her weapon in a rifle form as she surveyed the area.

Through the lens of her scope, she spotted Jaune falling. However, before she could do anything to help him, he remembered he had out his sword, and angled towards the nearest tree, stabbing his blade into the trunk, before sliding down. _Impressive, looks like he has a bit of luck on his side after all,_ She thought, heading in his direction.

Jasmine Diali pulled out her weapon, Kitsune's Kickback, and opened the lance to full, firing three shots from a gap under the lance tip and slowing her fall. She then closed the lance, and stabbed it into the ground, then coming down to land in a crouch.

Lilo Fuchsia laughed as she angled towards, then bounced off one tree and began her old routine of tree-hopping. Her two wolves were easily keeping up.

Koa Maru activated his semblance, and conjured up a thin but wide enough platform of hardlight, then he planted his feet firmly on it. He then began to remote control the platform, making it go forward and down towards the ground.

Landing on the ground, he glanced up at the sun, which was in the east, with the sun to his left, he started heading north.

* * *

Onyx Stone frowned, "Ok… ten minutes and I haven't ran into anyone yet. How?" He muttered. "I miss my books already…" He then heard growls and gunfire nearby, and decided to run in that direction, coming across the wolf Faunus he had seen yesterday surrounded by Beowolves.

"What is it with us and beowolves?" The girl muttered, her claws extended. One beowolf growled, charging, but a shadowy figure suddenly intercepted, with shiny-white and razor-sharp teeth that smashed down. "Thanks Shadow," The girl said to a black wolf, which seemed to nod.

Onyx observed the situation, the girl, the black furred wolf, as well as a white furred wolf, were surrounded by at least ten beowolves, while several more were rotting away. He was sure that she could take care of herself, but then again… his parents had always taught him to help the fairer sex.

With his mind made up, he pulled out his weapon, and extended it to full to fire three rounds that removed massive chunks from the black creatures. He then fired one shot behind him, using the recoil to shoot forwards and bring his axe over his head, cleaving length-ways down another grimm.

He then backed up, so he was stood back-to-back with the girl. "Good morning," He said. "Need a hand?"

"We had things in hand, but you're welcome to help," The girl said, "I'm Lilo, you are?"

"Onyx Stone, now… let's make short work of these mangy mutts," The young man in grey and black said.

Lilo nodded, "Good call, pups, tear them to shreds!" She grinned, her eyes gaining a slight feral appearance. The two wolves barked, and the three sprung out, claws aiming for a beowolf each. Lilo blocked the swipe from one and tore it's arm off with a slash through the shoulder, then stabbing it through the gut, she then ducked under a horizontal swing from another grimm, stabbing both her sets of claws in, and tearing it apart diagonally.

The white wolf squared off with another grimm, then seemed to fake the black creature out by starting to come from the left, then dashing around from the right, claws shredding through the bigger animal's hide as if hot knives through butter. However, when the wolf glanced back, ice started forming from the grimm's wounds, before icicles extended in every direction, turning it into an icy pincushion.

The black wolf on the other hand faded into shadows, then suddenly shadowy lines tore through another two beowolves, filling them both with so many holes it was hard to tell what it was in the first place. The wolf then rematerialized from it's shadowy form, satisfied with it's work.

Onyx swung his axe sideways, cutting through three beowolves with ease, and then fired a slug into the snout of a fourth one. He then blocked a set of fangs by holding the shaft of his axe up. Then he slid the handle down, pulling the axe head towards the head, then firing the weapon and letting the recoil decapitate the grimm, while the slug hit another beowolf about to attack Lilo from behind.

"That was fun," Lilo said once the last grimm was nothing more than a decaying corpse. Her claws slid away, and her two wolves glowed, before shrinking down to small dogs.

"I guess we're partners now," Onyx agreed, he held his hand out, and Lilo shook it. "Hmm… strong grip," he observed.

"Thank you," Lilo took the compliment in stride.

* * *

Jasmine's acute fox hearing was the first thing to alert her to the growls coming from off to her right, and she glanced over to see an Ursa, a large bear grimm, bounding out of the bushes. _Ok… I guess it's time to fight!_ She thought. The ursa growled, swinging a paw as big as her head at her. Jasmine blocked it with the side of her lance, then hefted it up over her head to club at the bear over the head.

She then tucked it horizontal to her to roll between another swing and the ursa's body. Then, she popped open the cannon inside her weapon, firing an explosive shot that impacted on the grimm. When the smoke faded, she saw the ursa collapse, dead.

Folding her weapon up, she was about to press on when she suddenly heard rustling above her, and was about to react to the sight of three creeps falling upon her, when a boomerang sliced through the air, bouncing off all three before returning to the hand of one Koa Maru, who swiped his other boomerang, sending an arc of lightning coursing through the creeps, putting them down.

"You ok?" He asked her, causing her to nod eagerly. "Good, let's keep heading north, I'm sure some of our fellow students will meet us there," He said.

* * *

Pyrrha Nikos stepped between a pair of trees, coming to see the young man she saw through her scope struggling with a small pillar of ice that had snared his hood to the tree behind him.

"Need I ask?" She pressed.

"That Weiss girl left me here!" He said.

"Jaune, was it?" She asked.

"Yep, Jaune Arc," Jaune was wearing a black hoodie underneath a white chestplate, shoulderpads and bracers. Waist down, he wore a pair of blue jeans and black and white sneakers. At his waist was the sword he had used on the way down.

"Here, let me help," Pyrrha said, taking her own weapon in it's shortsword form, and prying the ice from his hood.

"Thanks," Jaune said.

"So, got any spots left on your team?" She asked him playfully, smiling.

"Very funny," Jaune sighed, but relented and smiled at her.

* * *

Nearby, "By no means does this make us friends," Weiss Schnee scowled, dragging Ruby Rose by her hood.

"You came back!" Ruby just cheered happily.

* * *

"The last of our teams have been formed, Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie. Poor man, I can't imagine how he puts up with her," Goodwitch noted, watching the video feeds from her scroll. "Still, I imagine they'll be better off than Miss Nikos."

She changed the screen to that of said girl and Jaune. "I don't care what his transcripts say, that Jaune fellow clearly isn't cut out for this kind of action," She said. "I predict they'll reach the ruins in an hour's time, maybe less. Speaking of which… what did you use for relics this year? Ozpin?"

Ozpin clearly was paying too much attention to his own scroll, which was split with two screens, one of Ruby and Weiss, the other of Koa and Jasmine. "What did you find out about Miss Diali?" He asked.

"Professor Brick didn't say much, maybe to respect her privacy, but I suspect it's got something to do with the White Fang," Goodwitch said. "Poor girl… she doesn't deserve such a handicap."

"Hmm," Ozpin nodded, before slurping down more of his coffee. _Mr Maru was right about her skill… but I wonder how she'll adapt when she needs to work in a team._

* * *

 **Koa: So, that was a thing.  
**

 **Marcus: Oh don't worry, you haven't seen nothing yet.**

 **Lilo: I like the sound of that.**

 **Onyx: I don't, I just want to read my books.**

 **All: Nerd!**

 **Onyx: Intelectual actually.**

 **All: Next time: The Birth of Team KOLD!**


	9. Chapter 9: The Birth of Team KOLD

**I feel good, pumping out more chapters for my stories. The other day, I uploaded one for Kaiser of the Cold, now one for this one!  
**

 **RWBY is always going to be the property of Roosterteeth, and was born from the power of Monty Oum, may he rest in peace, always.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: The Birth of Team KOLD**

 **Title Song: Snow From Seven Years Past (Adrian von Ziegler)**

* * *

"So… let me get this straight… your semblance lets you control and speak to those two, whose names are Snowfall and Shadow, and they can communicate telepathically with you?" Onyx said.

"Yep," Lilo nodded.

The partnered duo were walking through the forest, flanked by the two wolves, who were constantly on alert. "What a unique semblance…" He chuckled. "I bet you were so confused to start with, hearing multiple voices in your head."

"To be fair, it's not that different to having younger twin siblings," Lilo said with a giggle. "These two are much quieter though." Both barked in agreement.

They fell into silence, until Lilo perked up. "I got the scent of students ahead," She then said. "Two different ones."

Emerging from the treeline, they saw two students, the busty blonde brawler and the girl with the black bow, standing on a hill overlooking some ruins.

"I see we weren't the first ones here," Onyx observed, announcing their presence to the two girls.

"Good to see some other friendly faces," The blonde said. "I'm Yang. This is Blake."

"And I'm Lilo, this is Onyx, and these two are Snowfall and Shadow," Lilo smiled. She glanced down the hill. "So… that's the temple the old geezer told us about?"

"Lilo, you know Professor Ozpin can probably hear you?" Onyx decided to point out.

"Sorry, I'll act indifferent about someone until I see their strength," Lilo shrugged. "That's just how I am."

"Well… he is the headmaster of one of the four most prestigious academies on Remnant, and it's been said his skills are the stuff of legend," Onyx told her. "General Ironwood of Atlas has made that very clear."

"I suppose we should head down and grab one of these relics Ozpin spoke of," Yang shrugged.

"Not a bad idea," Blake agreed with her partner.

The four initiates, with the two wolves in tow, walked down to the ruins, looking around at their surroundings.

"Chess pieces?" Blake asked, approaching a white castle piece.

"Looks like we're all just pieces of a chess board, but who are the players of this game?" Onyx mused.

His train of thought was broken when he heard a cannonshot from the treeline, followed by the sight of an Ursa corpse flying out of the forest to land on it's back. A moment later, a blue platform rose from the forest, and went over the trees to land in front of the Ursa remains.

"And that is what you get for messing with us," Koa said to the corpse, before walking past it with Jasmine in tow.

"Hey Koa, Jazzy," Lilo smiled. "Good to see you made it."

"Yep, and I see you all partnered up as well," He said, glancing at Onyx, Yang and Blake. "Now, I wonder where the others are…?"

He paused, hearing a very high pitched scream off in the distance.

"You guys hear that?" Yang asked. "Some girl is in trouble!"

Koa chuckled, "Actually… I think that was a boy…" He said.

Everyone paused, taking in his comment, then burst into laughter. Jasmine blinked, then glanced up, poking Koa, and pointing up.

Koa followed her gaze, and also blinked, seeing Ruby falling, only being intercepted mid-air by Jaune, who slammed into her, putting both into a tree.

"Um…" He was speechless. "That could never happen again, even if they rehearsed."

"Did your sister just fall out of the sky?" Blake asked Yang.

An explosion from the treeline got their attention, and they glanced over to see an ursa lumber out of the woods, before a pink explosion came from behind it. It then dropped, dead, to reveal Nora, who examined her now-dead steed. Ren emerged a second later, clearly out of breath.

As Nora inspected the pieces, singing queen of the castle with a white rook piece on her head, Ren panted over to the gathering. "Dude, how far did you run?" Onyx asked.

"Practically the entire forest," Ren sighed. "NORA!" He called over.

"Coming Ren!" Nora giggled, skipping back to the group.

"Did she ride an ursa all the way here?" Onyx asked.

"I think so…" Lilo was impressed.

Crashing sounds from the clearing off to the far right announced the arrival of Pyrrha Nikos, being chased by a Death Stalker, which was a massive, scorpion grimm.

"She brought a Death Stalker to the party?" Lilo asked, her claws extending in anticipation to fight.

"Ok, can we go five seconds without something crazy happening for once?" Yang asked, about to explode.

"Sorry Yang, I think that might be hard to accomplish," Koa said, glancing up again. The blonde just sighed, and looked up, as did everyone else.

"How could you leave me?!" Weiss Schnee yelled, holding on to the claw of a massive Nevermore, a bird grimm.

"I said jump!" Ruby said with a sigh.

"She's gonna fall," Lilo and Blake said at the same time.

"She'll be _fine_ ," Ruby insisted.

"She's falling," Koa and Ren sighed.

Jaune then decided to make his reappearance, leaping from the tree to catch her bridal style, however, he then remembered they were in the air and fell to the floor, with Weiss landing on his back.

"My hero," She huffed.

"Ok, Nevermore above… Death Stalker in the plains," Koa muttered. "What next?"

"Oh you shouldn't have said that…" Lilo muttered. Jasmine nodded, shivering with fear.

A screech came from the treeline.

* * *

"Ozpin, we're going to have to intervene… that thing is dangerous!" Goodwitch said.

"Have the teams on standby, but don't deploy just yet…" Ozpin instructed.

"What? Sir… it could kill them!" The woman objected.

"I have a feeling… that they can handle it," Ozpin said, watching as the initiates grabbed their relics.

* * *

"You guys head for the cliffs!" Koa said, "Whatever is coming from the trees, I'll hold it off, any volunteers to join me, say so now."

Jasmine tugged his sleeve, determination on her face, "Thanks Jas. I can always count on you."

"I know what it is… and it's gonna be a challenge, me and the pups will stay," Lilo grinned.

"And I'll join you too," Onyx added.

"The rest of you, good luck," Koa said to the other eight.

"Good luck to you as well Koa!" Ruby called back, as they ran off towards the cliff, with the Nevermore and Deathstalker chasing them.

Another screech came from the trees, and they then saw their foe emerge. A strange imp-like body was attached to a large horse body. The front legs had hooves, and the rear two were clawed legs. Also, a pair of long arms draped from the imp's body.

"A Nuckelavee… extremely dangerous grimm…" Lilo muttered. "Those arms extend, it can spin that upper body around completely, and it's got a shriek that causes killer headaches," She said. "I've fought one before, but we had like… ten guys back then… and they were fully trained warriors…"

"I have an idea of how we can beat it," Onyx said. "If we pull off it's head, it's a kill shot, but these things are smart… at least that's what the books say."

"Sounds good, Jasmine, you go for the horse, Onyx and Lilo, pin down those arms if you can, or chop them off, I'll play distraction with some fireworks," Koa said, twisting his boomerangs, lightning sparking throughout them.

"Roger!" Lilo and Onyx called, while Jasmine gave a quick salute before firing several shells at the horse head.

Lilo ducked under a swing from one arm, then sprang up as the arm shot out again, hoping to slice it into pieces. However, the arm jolted left, before curling up and socking her in the gut. _Snowfall, immobilise it's_ feet, She commanded her wolf friend. _Shadow, do what you can to help too._ The white wolf's collar glowed, and ice jutted up from the ground around the Nuckelavee's four feet, freezing it in place, Shadow then turned into shadowy lines, slicing through the short amount of white armour plating around the grimm.

Meanwhile, Onyx came from the other side, firing three slugs, aiming for the head of the imp, but the other arm swatted them aside like insects, it then stretched out, but Onyx bolstered his aura, becoming an immovable object and swung Obsidian Rage down, pinning the right arm to the ground.

Jasmine fired two shells from her lance, then swung horizontally, the end clobbering against the head of the horse. It quickly recovered, and massive teeth lunged out, grabbing the end, and throwing Jasmine around like a ragdoll, before tossing her down to the ground. Her aura protected her from actual injury, but it still hurt her a bit. Getting to her feet, she narrowed her eyes, and accessed her Copy/Paste semblance, choosing to use the memory she had of Ruby's speed. With that, she activated her borrowed semblance, dashing towards the horse, bashing straight down with Kitsune's Kickback, firing a shot to increase the velocity coming down onto the head of the equine part of the grimm.

Lilo kept dodging the remaining arm, but it was becoming increasingly irritating, the arm then lunged straight at her, and gripped around her neck, and attempted to squeeze down, but nothing was happening. The wolf faunus blinked, then glanced at her arms and body, where her lilac aura glowed brightly. She then glanced over to Onyx, who was holding a hand in her direction. She then took initiative to the fact he helped reinforce her stance and aura, and stabbed both of her claws through the arm, pinning it to the ground.

"Koa!" Onyx called out.

"On it!" Koa nodded, pressing a button on one boomerang, a thin blade extended out from the outer-half, and he threw it, the weapon sparking with lightning, slicing straight through the Nuckelavee's scrawny neck.

"And that's all she wrote," Koa said, catching the boomerang, resetting both, and holstering them with ease.

"Come on! Let's go help out the others!" Lilo called out.

Jasmine stopped her, and all four followed her finger, watching a blur of red pulling the Nevermore up the cliff on a path of white glyphs. Ruby got to the top, before she decapitated the giant bird, causing the corpse to fall back down.

"I think they had things well in hand," Onyx remarked.

* * *

"Cardin Winchester, Russel Thrush, Dove Bronzewing, Sky Lark. The four of you retrieved the Black Bishop pieces, therefore, you will work together as Team CRDL (Cardinal)," Ozpin's voice carried around the auditorium, as he went through the process of announcing the new teams out of the first years. He was currently addressing the four musclebound men that Lilo had pointed out to Koa last night.

"Led by... Cardin Winchester," The man on the left of the four gave no reaction to his assignment, instead, the four stepping aside so Ozpin could continue.

"Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie, Pyrrha Nikos, Lie Ren, the four of you received the White Rook pieces, henceforth, you will work together as Team JNPR (Juniper)," Ozpin said, speaking to the four said new teammates. Nora promptly hugged Ren, while Jaune and Pyrrha smiled.

"Led by… Jaune Arc!" Everyone clapped for the young man, who was shocked with his new position. Pyrrha then punched him on the shoulder, but he wasn't prepared and fell to the floor.

"Koa Maru, Onyx Stone, Lilo Fuchsia, Jasmine Diali," Koa led his new friends onto the stage, where Ozpin was reading out their names. "The four of you received the White King pieces, therefore, you will work together as Team KOLD (Cold)," Jasmine held Koa's hand, Lilo rubbed her wolves' heads, and Onyx nodded.

"Led by… Koa Maru," Ozpin said, and Koa nodded.

"I won't let you down Professor," He said. "Or you guys."

"We know, congrats on the lead role," Lilo told him, patting him on the back.

"And finally," Team KOLD stepped aside, as the final four walked up. "Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long," Ozpin announced their names. "The four of you received the White Knight pieces, henceforth, you will be known as Team RWBY. Led by… Ruby Rose!"

"That isn't confusing at all," Lilo whispered.

"They'll make it work," Onyx shrugged.

"Congratulations Ruby!" Koa called out.

"It looks like things are turning out to be… quite the interesting year," Ozpin smiled, glancing up at the screens, where the new teams were displayed.

"I couldn't agree more," Koa chuckled. "Come on Team KOLD, let's go find our dorm room."

His new team nodded in agreement. "Dibs on first shower!" Lilo grinned.

* * *

Their dorm room was next door to Team JNPR's, which was opposite Team RWBY's, inside, their bags had been placed in one corner, while there were four beds around the room.

"I have… one gripe about our new team," Lilo said. "Jas and I are girls."

"Use the bathroom to change," Onyx told her. He turned to Koa. "I have an idea for sleeping arrangements. Can you use your semblance and help us out here?"

"I think I know your idea," Koa nodded, and a blue platform appeared underneath one bed, and he moved it carefully around, until it was above one in the corner, on the left of the window.

"Lower it gently," Onyx said, his eyes close to one of the bed posts. Koa did so, and the four legs on the top bed landed on the four posts of the lower one.

"There, now for the other one," Koa smirked, while the girls claimed the first newly made bunk bed.

Once the process had been repeated, the four teammates made the place look like home. Onyx claimed half of the bookshelves for his collection of books, and also put a landscape he had painted on the wall, which showed an overlook from his hometown.

Lilo pinned up a poster of the Achieve Men, which were a boy band she was a fan of. She also had several grimm models, including a Beowolf, Ursa, Nevermore, Griffon and Nuckelavee, which she put on the top shelf above Onyx's books.

Jasmine put up a poster of a girl band called the Hex Girls, which were three young ladies which had false vampire teeth and long fingernails, giving them the appearance of vampires. She also put a small stuffed fox on her pillow.

Koa put a model of an Atlas ship on the desk, along with several pots of paint and a few grids with components, he then put down an old sea vessel on the windowsill, and hung a Bullhead model from a piece of string from the ceiling near his bed. Lastly, he put a small poster of a tournament that he was aware of by the door, the poster was for the Vytal Festival, which would include a big fighting tournament pitting teams from the different kingdoms against one another.

With that, they divvied the dressers and drawers so they could put spare clothes away. As Lilo went into the bathroom to take first shower, a knock came from the door.

Koa opened it to see Professors Ozpin and Goodwitch standing there. "Good evening Mr Maru," Ozpin said.

"Professors," Koa nodded. "Can I help?"

"Don't worry, you aren't at fault for anything, we just want to ask a few questions," Goodwitch said.

"Please, come with us and we'll talk," Ozpin offered.

"Actually… I think I know what this is about," Koa said, glancing over to Jasmine. She nodded, and he nodded back. "Please, come in, we were going to tell Lilo and Onyx at some point anyway."

At that moment, Lilo stepped out of the bathroom in her nightwear, and blinked, seeing the two professors at the door. "Evening," She casually saluted, before sitting down on her bed, which was the lower one of the girl's side of the room.

Ozpin and Goodwitch glanced at each other, then stepped into the dorm. "Right, I think it's time to explain Jasmine's condition in proper," He said.

Jasmine came over, and stood next to him, she then pulled out her pen, and wrote four letters. PTVD.

"Post Traumatic Vocal Disarticulation," Koa explained. "See… when we were young, our village, Melodious, was attacked by the White Fang. During that raid, twenty of our people were murdered, and another twenty were kidnapped."

He glanced down at Jasmine, who hugged him tightly. "Jasmine was one of those taken, and everyone from her family were killed, her mother, father, and brother and sister," He said, hugging her back.

Ozpin looked solemn for a second, "I'm sorry to hear that, continue."

"Jasmine was taken to a hidden facility, where she was tortured with experiments, more than once, each day, for around six years," Koa said, stroking his friend's head, as she had to remember all the hardships she went through.

"Six years…" Goodwitch gasped. "Poor dear…"

"Every break I got from Signal after I made Return to Sender, I went hunting for her, and took out a number of White Fang outposts and other vital facilities to their cause, hoping to find Jas, and the others from our village, but every time was a dead end," Koa sighed.

"This disarticulation thing… care to elaborate?" Lilo asked. "I've never heard of it."

"Post Traumatic Vocal Disarticulation is a condition involving the vocal chords of a person. After a period of extreme stress or trauma, a person diagnosed with this condition is rendered completely unable to speak, even if there is no catastrophic injury to their actual vocal chords," Ozpin explained.

"Oh… so it's a stress related mute?" Lilo asked.

"Miss Diali, I need to ask, can you manage working in a team?" Goodwitch asked.

Jasmine nodded, 'Don't worry, we'll learn to help each other, right guys?' She wrote out.

"You bet," Lilo grinned, and both Snowfall and Shadow barked in agreement. Onyx nodded as well, a smirk on his face.

"Then we have nothing to worry about," Ozpin gave a smile. "We won't take up anymore of your time. Good night Team KOLD."

With that, both professors left the dorm room, leaving the four teammates to themselves.

"Right, Jas, why don't you have the next shower," Koa said to his best friend.

She nodded, grabbing her nightwear and heading for the shower.

Lilo glanced at the fox toy on Jasmine's pillow, "So is that…?" She asked.

"Yeah, that belonged to her sister," Koa nodded, sadly.

That night, Lilo awoke to the slight sound of movement above her, and she noted that Jasmine was sitting up, looking out the window.

"Jassy?" She asked.

Jas pulled out her pen, 'Sorry, didn't mean to wake you,' She wrote.

"It's fine," Lilo smiled softly. "I'm sorry you had to remember that stuff today." She pat her bed, "Come on, you can snuggle up next to me for tonight. Or I'll let you have one of the pups as a sleeping buddy."

Jasmine slipped down from her bed, and got under the sheets, wrapping her tail around her and Lilo. "How is it so soft?" Asked the wolf faunus.

The fox faunus just smiled, and drifted off to sleep, with Lilo doing the same.

* * *

 **Koa: Do we rule or what?  
**

 **Lilo: Sure didn't waste any time against that Nuckelavee.**

 **Onyx: And we've become an official team now.**

 **Jasmine: 'Team KOLD!'**

 **All: Next time: The Badge and The Burden!**


	10. Chapter 10: The Badge and the Burden

**So, it's time to update this story again! This one won't deviate too much from the original story, so expect a lot of guidance to our young heroes.  
**

 **Again, may Monty Oum rest in peace, as RWBY was his creation, and is property of Roosterteeth.**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: The Badge and the Burden  
**

 **Title Song: Sacred Icon Suite - Halo 2 OST**

* * *

Koa was the first to awake from his slumber, and he opened the window to feel the fresh morning air. He glanced around their room, and smiled, noticing Lilo and Jasmine sleeping softly in the same bed. His actions also seemed to have an effect on the rest of his team, as they too began to stir from their sleep.

Glancing at the clock, Koa noted it to be ten to eight, which was a decent time. "Alright, I believe we should handle the shower order like so. Today, we'll have the order be the reverse of our team name, so Jas, you can go first," He said. "Then, tomorrow, we'll do it the other way round, so it's fair."

Giving a noise that sounded like a yawn, Jas nodded, grabbing her wash kit and heading into the attached bathroom.

"About last night, let's not disclose her true condition to anyone else yet," He said to the other two.

"I can see the logic behind that, I'm going to prepare my stationary for class," Onyx said.

Lilo looked out the window, and breathed in some fresh morning air, "I can tell that today will be an interesting day," She said.

"Really?" Koa asked. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, think about it," She said. "During the initiation, Teams RWBY and JNPR face a Nevermore and Death Stalker respectively, while we fight a Nuckelavee, crazy initiation, don't you think?"

"So you think that things are just going to keep getting more and more hectic as the days pass?" Onyx asked.

"You got it," Lilo nodded.

* * *

All four soon were showered and dressed in the Beacon Academy uniform, which was a white shirt and black jacket for the men, and a cardigan for the girls. The men wore black pants while the girls wore red and black tartan patterned skirts. Everyone was allowed to make a few original additions or changes.

Koa kept his belt and magnetic holsters with him, even though he wasn't allowed his weapons. Onyx didn't change his, but did wear the bracers of his combat outfit. Lilo decided to not wear the thigh-high stockings, instead wearing shorter, white socks and her boots. Lastly, Jasmine customised the skirt, adding the vital undertag to allow her tail(s) to filter through.

With twenty minutes to spare, Team KOLD stopped by the cafeteria, helping themselves to some breakfast. Koa had toast lathered with jam and a cup of coffee which he poured into a thermos so he could take around with him. Onyx had some cereal while reading a book. Lilo decided to follow in Koa's idea with the coffee, but she had a bacon sandwich, and gave two extra pieces each to Snowfall and Shadow. Jasmine had some cereal as well, as well as some juice.

After that, it was time for class, with Professor Port.

* * *

"Ah, Team KOLD, welcome!" Their teacher said, as they walked into the room. He was an older man, with whitening hair that covered his eyes, and a commanding moustache.

"Morning Professor," Koa spoke up for his team, who all nodded in greeting as well.

Once everyone had arrived and was seated, Professor Port began his class. His lesson included the identifying of many different Grimm types, some of their weak points, and … other things.

"Monsters! Demons! Prowlers of the night! Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names, but I personally prefer to refer to them as prey!" Port said with a laugh, waking up Ruby, who seemed to have fallen asleep at one point.

 _Great… we get the old man that likes to stroke his own ego…_ Koa groaned. He noticed Onyx hiding a book in his lap, _good call, but be careful._ Past Onyx, he saw a _very_ bored Lilo, with two sleeping pups at her feet.

On Koa's other side, Jasmine seemed to be busy with doodles or diagrams. Koa noted they seemed to be her blueprint for Kitsune's Kickback, and she was erasing and editing different sections as time progressed.

"Uh, and you shall too, upon graduating from this prestigious academy. Now, as I was saying, Vale, as well as the other three kingdoms, are safe havens in an otherwise treacherous world. Our planet is absolutely teeming with creatures that would love nothing more than to tear you all to pieces. And that's where we come in. Huntsmen, and Huntresses," The professor said, before clicking his tongue and winking at Lilo and Yang.

"Yeah… no." Lilo said bluntly.

"Uh… heh-heh…" Yang chuckled sarcastically, also grossed out by Port's obvious flirting.

 _And he's also a dirty old grandpa…_ Koa groaned.

The class continued, with many tales from Port's youth mixed in with the important stuff. At one point, Koa noted snickering and turned to see Ruby holding up a crude drawing of Port, with a rounder body and the name 'Professor Poop'. Jasmine gave a noise that sounded like her trying to get a laugh out, and Blake, Yang, Nora and Lilo all snickered at her antics.

"Ahem. In the end," Port stopped them with what sounded like the end of his tale. "The beowolf was no match for my tenacity, and I returned to my village with a beast in captivity, and my head held high, celebrated as a hero!" he ended and bowed. "The moral of the story, true huntsmen should be honorable!" Port said, while Weiss seemed to scowl at Ruby, who was balancing a pencil, book and an apple on one finger while a goofy look was on her face. "A true huntsmen must be dependable!" Ruby was trying to get back to sleep, causing Weiss to get angrier. "And a true huntsmen must be strategic, well-educated and wise!" Weiss looked like she was about to pop, shaking with anger as Ruby poked her nose.

"Looks like she's just about had it," Onyx observed quietly from next to him.

"So, who among you believe themselves to carry all these traits?" Koa's hand shot up, and even he was surprised when he beat Weiss' fingertips to the upright position.

"I do sir!" He said.

"Then come down, and face your opponent," Port said, revealing a cage behind his desk, with something furiously attempting to break out.

Koa nodded, and went to change into his combat attire, and returned, boomerangs attached to his holsters.

 _Time to show little miss spoilt how to be a team player…_ Koa said, taking a deep breath, nodding to Port.

"Don't worry, if things get out of hand, I will deal with it, but let the match begin," Port nodded, slashing through the lock with his blunderbuss/axe combo.

A Boarbatusk burst free from it's cage, and noticed the armed human in front of it. Boarbatusks, like the name suggested, were a kind of boar Grimm, with lots of sharp, bony spikes on it's back, and two, huge, curved tusks either side of it's snout.

"Any advice?" He asked, as the Grimm began to carry out a spinning ability, tucking in so the tusks and spikes on it's back would drive it along. Koa sidestepped the Grimm, and smashed one of Return to Sender into it from the side, sending it careering into the wall, then he smashed off several spikes.

"Belly and mouth are it's weak spots!" Lilo called out.

"Break those tusks, it'll be helpless after that!" Onyx suggested.

'You can do it Koa!' Jasmine wrote out.

First, he followed Onyx's advice, and when the Boarbatusk came back, it jumped up, trying to flatten it. Koa threw one boomerang behind him, letting it fly, while narrowly missing Port's head. With the other boomerang, he used it to catch the Grimm's tusks before either removed his head.

The second boomerang then came back around, breaking most spikes on the Grimm's back. Koa grabbed it, and then slammed it into the underbelly of the Grimm. He then used his semblance, pushing the Boarbatusk against the cage, before turning the energy into several bars, locking the beast in place.

Engaging the blade on his right boomerang, Koa tossed it once, slicing right through the Grimm, and also cutting Port's pants slightly.

"Game over," He sighed, the boomerang returning to him, and he twirled both, before holstering them on his belt.

"For that amazing display, good job is in order," Port said. The bell then rang. "I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today. Be sure to cover the assigned readings, and stay vigilant! Class dismissed!"

Weiss gave Ruby an angry glare, before storming out of the room. Ruby ran after her, while Koa and Onyx stared at each other. With a silent nod, they followed, lingering around the corner as they heard part of the conversation.

"Gah, what did I do?" Ruby asked.

"That's just it! You've done nothing to earn your position! Back in the forest, you acted like a child, and you've only continued doing so!" Weiss criticized her.

"Weiss, where is this coming from? What happened to all that talk about working together? I thought you believed in acting as a team?" Ruby asked.

"Not a team led by you," Weiss said. "I've studied, and trained, and quite frankly… I deserve better." She backed away as Ruby tried to reach out to her. "Ozpin made a mistake," She hissed, before walking away.

"You're from Atlas right?" Koa asked his teammate.

"Yep, I'll handle Weiss, give Ruby a hug for me," Onyx nodded, before walking after the white haired girl.

Koa was about to speak up, but someone beat him to it. "Well, that didn't seem to go very well now did it?" Professor Ozpin asked, coffee mug in hand.

"I was about to say that myself," Koa observed, walking around the corner.

"Is she right?" Ruby asked with some tears in her eyes. "Did you make a mistake?"

"That remains to be seen," Ozpin replied, smiling at the young girl.

"Ozpin's right Ruby," Koa nodded. He glanced down to where Weiss and Onyx had gone. "If anyone is making a mistake right now… It's Weiss."

"She's just a little misguided," Ozpin pointed out.

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked them.

"It's only been one day," Ozpin reminded her. "Ruby, I've made more mistakes than any man, woman and child on this planet. But at this moment, I would not consider your appointment to leader to be one of them."

Ruby thought about it, when Koa put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "We're at Beacon Academy, and what do academies do? They're there to let us learn, and grow as people. If Professor Oz made you leader, he believes that you have the best opportunity to grow as a warrior, and as a person."

"Being a team leader isn't just a title you carry into battle, but a badge you wear constantly. If you are not always performing at your absolute best, then what reason do you give others to follow you?" Ozpin said, giving her a vital lesson. She then looked up at him, smiling.

"He's right Ruby, I've got to do it too, as does Jaune, and the other freshmen team leaders," Koa nodded.

"You've been burdened with a daunting responsibility Ruby. I advise you to take some time to think about how you will uphold it," Ozpin said. "Good day to you both," with that, he walked away, leaving the two team leaders.

"What do you think?" He asked.

"I see I need to be worth of the trust my teammates put in me, as their leader and teammate. I won't let them down," Ruby said confidently.

"That's all that we ask Ruby," Koa smiled. "Now, let's go get some grub."

* * *

Weiss sighed, wondering around the corridors, until she came across a balcony. There, she was surprised to see Professor Port watching the sun setting.

"Professor Port," She acknowledged him, coming out to stand next to him.

"Ah, Miss Schnee. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Port asked.

"I… I enjoyed your lecture," She commented.

"Of course you did," Port smiled. "And although I didn't witness your combat strength today, I'm sure you have the blood of a true huntress in you."

"You really think so?" She asked hopefully.

"Most surely," Port nodded. Weiss then looked down.

"Something is troubling you?" He asked.

"Yes sir," Weiss replied hesitantly.

"Dear girl, confess to me your strife!" Port offered.

"Well… I-I think I should have been the leader of Team RWBY," She blurted out.

"… That's preposterous," Port stated.

"Excuse me?" Weiss asked, shocked at Port's claim.

"I've believed in Professor Ozpin for many years, and the man's not once led me astray," Port told her.

"So you would blindly accept his decision, despite the fact you can tell how exceptional I am?" Weiss asked.

"I'm sure he would," Both turned, seeing Onyx Stone approach. "And I believe I would as well."

"Ah, Mr Stone, good evening," Port greeted the newcomer.

"With due respect, your apparent skill on the battlefield is only matched by your poor attitude," Port admitted.

"How dare you?!" Weiss spluttered.

"The man is right, I know you Weiss, as I was once just like you," Onyx admitted. "I see a girl who has spent most of her life getting exactly what she wanted."

"That's not even remotely true!" Weiss said, crossing her arms while both of her audience raised an eyebrow. "Well… not entirely true."

"Maybe not, but he's right about your attitude," Port said.

"In class today, what did you notice about Koa, when he stepped up to fight?" Onyx asked.

"I notice that he relies a lot on luck. Those boomerangs don't always take the shortest path to their target," Weiss admitted.

"Well, there is that, but hey, his weapon works for his fighting style," Onyx shrugged. "It's that he asked for suggestions while he fought, and used the advice me and Lilo gave him to win. All while accepting the encouragement that Jasmine gave him."

"I did notice that," Weiss said.

"The outcome didn't work in your favour. Do you really believe that acting in such a manner would cause those in power to reconsider their decision?" Port asked.

"So far, from what I've seen from your leader, is that she's young and has a lot to learn. If that's the case, don't shout at her, saying she's a mistake, and storm off in a huff," Onyx said. "Instead, use the position you have now, to help your leader, encourage her to work to improve. Because be honest, who do you think people will follow into battle? The one who cares for her teammates and allies? Or the one who treats all those around her like trash and worthless space?"

"Exactly," Port nodded. "So instead of fretting over what you don't have, savour what you do. Hone your skills, perfect every technique, and be not the best leader, but the best person you can be." That made her think a bit.

"I think I have things under control now Professor," Onyx said.

"Very well, good day, Miss Schnee, Mr Stone," Port bowed slightly, before walking away.

"You can loosen up a little bit, you're _far_ too tightly wound up," Onyx said, looking at the setting sun. "Look, I know it's not Atlas, or the Schnee Manor, where everything runs like clockwork, but it's home to us for the next four years."

"Thank you Onyx, you've given me much to think about," Weiss said.

"I'll leave you to your thoughts, don't stay up too long," Onyx said, before walking away.

* * *

That night, all of Team KOLD were already in their nightwear. Jasmine and Lilo were going over some homework, Onyx was reading in bed, and Koa was painting some models. "You know guys, I promise that I won't let you down, all I ask is that if I do need a hand, we work together," Koa said, glancing back at his team.

Both Jas and Lilo gave a thumbs up, while Onyx looked up and smiled. "Did you get some valuable lessons when helping Ruby earlier?" He asked.

"I did, and do you think you got through to Weiss?" Koa asked.

In response, Onyx looked at Lilo, who glanced out the window, which was open a bit.

"Weiss just asked Ruby how much sugar she wants in her coffee, I think they'll be just fine," Lilo smiled, high-fiving Jasmine.

"Yeah, Lilo, you're definitely our scout of the team, you're quick and silent when you need to, and your hearing is extremely useful," Koa smiled.

"If we're making roles, then Jazzy is the Weapons expert," Lilo said, rubbing her fellow Faunus on her head.

"I guess I'm the bookworm of the team, if there's something to look for in a book, I'll scan every library in Vale to find it if I needed to," Onyx chuckled.

"Then from this day forward, let's all agree, that we don't hide things that trouble us, that we share our problems as a team," Koa said, holding out his hand.

"I can agree to that," Lilo nodded, and put hers on top of his. Jasmine smiled, and put hers over Lilo's.

"Oh hell, if you three are doing it, then I'll go along with it as well," Onyx laughed, and his hand finished their little pact.

"Now, get some shuteye. One thing for sure, this school is definitely not normal," Koa suggested to his team.

 **Koa: So, lessons learnt and advice given, and things are only just getting started around here.**

 **Lilo: I just wonder what could be next on the agenda.**

 **Onyx: If it's anything like what happened in this chapter, then it's only getting started.**

 **Koa: Right, let's see, what's next... Ah!**

 **All: Next time: Grow a Spine!**


	11. Chapter 11: Grow a Spine!

**Alright, who's up for a triple whammy?**

 ** **I'm sorry for my silence as of late. I was on holiday up in Cambridge, Northumberland, Lincoln and some other places for two weeks. It was sunny, rainy, I got to see a B-52 Stratofortress and a SR-71 Blackbird at the Imperial War Museum, and it was amazing. I even got to set foot on Concorde!****

 **Not all of my absence was sunshine and rainbows though... while we were heading back towards home, at our last stop, we got word from my Aunt that my Uncle had passed away, thankfully with no pain. It wasn't the first funeral I had been to... but it's never easy, saying goodbye to those who you've seen for nearly every year of your life.**

 **But, life must go on, and so must the life of this story, as well as my other tales!**

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Grow a Spine!**

 **Title Song: Park Avenue (Sonic Forces OST)**

* * *

It's been a few weeks since Weiss' yelling episode with Ruby, and the two, and the rest of Team RWBY are all adapted to each other. They weren't the only ones that were used to their new friends and teammates either. The first years had started to get used to the classes and lifestyle of Beacon, but,

Koa walked through the corridors of Beacon, on his way to an area of the school that he had discovered a few days ago. Following him were Jasmine, who also had a reason to go there, and Ruby, who just wanted to tag along when she heard what they would be doing.

The three stopped when they saw a sign over a door. Alvor's Anvil. Koa pushed open the door, and was greeted with the feeling of heat and the sounds of hard work. It was here, that students could come and make any adjustments to their weapons, or even come up with new concepts to new weapon formats.

An elderly man was near the door, sharpening a blade on a whetstone. "Can I help you laddie?" He asked. His greying hair was a little singed, and he wore a grey shirt, black pants and boots. Over his clothes was a brown blacksmiths apron.

"We've been told this is the best forge in Vale, with enough resources to arm an army," Koa said. "Can we use the forge?"

"Sure, call me Alvor Anvil, I run this forge," The man nodded. "Before anything, here, a couple of work aprons and coveralls if you need them." He pointed to where such articles of clothing were hung.

"No need, we brought our own," Koa smiled, walking over to a grindstone. "All I need is this."

"Ah, don't worry," Alvor said, "Take all the time you need. And what about you two young lasses?"

"Jasmine wants to modify her lance," Ruby said. "I'm just here to help her."

"Then let me know if there's anything I can do to help," The master smith said, walking away.

* * *

The next day…

* * *

"Yes! Combat class!" Lilo grinned, Team KOLD having just finished a lesson with Professor Ooblek. "No offence to that guy, but he drinks _way_ too much caffeine! Even more than Koa or Ozpin."

"Truth," Onyx nodded.

"He's still better than Port… ugh, his fictional stories are better at putting me to sleep than to hype me up," Koa shrugged.

Everyone got changed into their combat gear, and met in a training room. Team KOLD shared this class today with Teams RWBY and JNPR.

"Now then, today, you'll be doing one-on-one sparring matches," Goodwitch said, standing in the arena with her scroll out. "It is crucial that you get a feel for how other people fight in order to better prepare yourself for the outside world. This will also help you with your own training into improving your skills. Now, for the first match, we'll have…" She pressed a few commands on her scroll. "Jasmine Diali, versus…" A few more commands, "Weiss Schnee."

Both named students glanced at each other, then went to get their weapons from the locker room.

"Oh… I don't know who to cheer for!" Ruby pouted.

"I do, come on Jas!" Koa called down.

Both combatants entered the ring, and Koa noted the tiniest trace of a smirk on Jasmine's face, before it disappeared again. _She wanted this so bad. Sorry Weiss._

"May the best huntress-in-training win," Weiss said.

Jasmine just gave a thumbs-up in response. _This is for day one, after that, we're even!_

"Ready? 3… 2… 1… Begin!" Goodwitch called.

Jasmine fired two heavy shots from the tip of Kitsune's Kickback, both explosive rounds shooting towards Weiss, who danced around them with grace. She then fired once behind her, shooting herself forward to try and slam the side of her lance into Weiss' side.

Weiss countered this with a gravity glyph, slowing down Jasmine's swing, and allowing her to dart aside and jab twice with her rapier, Myrtnaster.

Jasmine let the jabs hit, letting them reflect off her aura. She then blocked a horizontal swing from Weiss' rapier, and fired a shot that sent Weiss back, her aura withstanding the blast but still causing some damage.

"Hold on, I thought Jasmine's lance had to open up to fire?" Ren asked.

"She fixed that yesterday, the barrel used to only reach halfway up her lance. Now, it goes to just under the tip, and the weapon still folds perfectly," Ruby said.

Weiss frowned, and the revolving chamber in her rapier rotated around and glowed blue. Suddenly, she pirouetted, stabbing her rapier into the ground, and ice spikes rose out the ground.

Jasmine blinked, but quickly leapt up, before landing on a yellow square of hardlight energy.

"What?" Yang asked. "Isn't that your semblance?" She asked Koa.

"Yep," Koa nodded.

Jasmine then leapt down, and surprised Weiss by sending a yellow pillar of hardlight at her. Weiss blocked it by rotating the chamber in her rapier, a red barrier forming in front of her.

She was not expecting the heavy downwards slam that came from behind her though, and she was shocked to see Jasmine _behind_ her. She then noticed the shavings of yellow fluttering around the room, and she looked back at Jasmine, who looked at her with a face that just read 'Yield.'

"And that's the match!" Goodwitch called out. "Miss Diali has forced Miss Schnee into a position of defeat. As you can see, her aura has entered the red zone. This is official duel rules; when a combatant's aura enters the red, they are no longer fit for battle and must concede."

She turned to the two girls. "Miss Schnee, well done for adapting to fighting a heavier weapon, continue practicing against such foes to allow yourself to improve," She suggested.

"Of course, Professor," Weiss accepted the advice.

"Miss Diali, it seemed you were using not just Mr Maru's Hardlight Semblance, but Miss Rose's Speed Semblance as well, please, could you explain your semblance?"

"If I may Professor?" Koa raised his hand. "Can I speak for her? It's a rather long explanation."

"Of course," Goodwitch nodded.

"Jasmine has called her Semblance 'Copy/Paste'. Basically, she can 'copy' another huntsman or huntress' Semblance, putting them in a sort of… file in her mind. Then, she can 'paste', using the memory of that Semblance. She can only store two currently, and the memory grows stale after a week, meaning she must copy all over again."

"So that's how she copied my speed," Ruby blinked, plucking a gold shaving out of the air and examining it.

"What a fascinating Semblance," Ren nodded.

"Basically, she's a jack of all trades," Pyrrha observed.

"Miss Diali, my only suggestion might be to watch and examine other students' Semblances, and train to develop your skill in using those powers," Goodwitch said to the fox faunus.

Jasmine nodded, and folded up her weapon into it's compact form, and attaching it to a magnetic clamp on her back.

"We have time for another fight," Goodwitch said. "Let's have… Jaune Arc…" The blonde boy gulped at his name being called. "Versus… Koa Maru!"

Both young men went to fetch their weapons, and met in the ring a moment later. Koa was standing in a stance reminiscent to a cowboy in those old movies, ready to draw.

Jaune drew his sword, Crocea Mors, and his shield, settling with a defensive stance, shield up in front.

"Ready?" Both boys nodded. "3… 2… 1… Begin!"

Koa was quick off the count, both boomerangs flying straight towards Jaune, who blocked them with his shield barely. Koa kept up the assault, leaping up to kick a boomerang around left, while grabbing the other and blocking an incoming swing from Jaune's sword.

"Not bad Jauney boy, lets see how you can react to on-the-fly moments," Koa grinned.

"Huh?" Jaune asked, before a boomerang hit him in his shield arm. Koa was quick to grab the boomerang and throw it again, this time sparking with lightning.

Jaune noticed it this time, and swatted it aside with his sword, and then picked up his shield, bashing it into Koa's stomach.

Koa then unleashed his Hardlight Semblance, the blue energy forming under Jaune's foot, which he then manipulated upwards, tripping the blonde boy up onto his back. Now, the sparking boomerang came down. Jaune rolled aside, causing the weapon to ping off the ground and back to Koa's hand.

"Alright, you've surprised me with how long you've survived, but sorry about this," Koa said. He then tapped the sides of his two weapons, and the sparks vanished. Then, blades appeared on one tip of each.

Jaune steeled himself for what must be Koa's final push. The lucky boomerang user charged, slashing several times. Jaune tried to block all he could, but in the end, Koa got past his shield, knocked away his sword, pushed Jaune to his knees and held both blades poised to strike.

"Do you yield?" He asked.

"Y-yeah, yield," Jaune whimpered.

"And that's the match. Mr Arc, that was a good attempt. But defending can only get you so far," Goodwitch said.

"Yeah, sorry professor," Jaune rubbed his neck nervously.

"Mr Maru, I have to ask, how do your weapons always end up in the right angles? Do you ever make mistakes?" Their professor asked.

"Loads of times," Koa nodded. "I always have had good luck, it's not a Semblance, of course, that's obvious, but when I do miss, it's all about improvising, readjusting the angle, using my Semblance to deflect back at the target."

"Maybe find a way to balance your luck with training in hand-to-hand combat without your weapon, and with it," Goodwitch suggested. The bell then rang, "That's all that we have time for today, please understand that if you haven't had a chance to spar yet, you will have a higher chance of being selected next lesson, and you're always welcome to train and spar in free time." She pushed up her glasses. "Just don't kill each other."

* * *

A few days later.

* * *

Lilo and Onyx spotted Pyrrha fussing over Jaune, who had just gotten out of a particularly one-sided fight with leader of Team CRDL, Cardin Winchester. The brute used a large dust infused mace that sent out explosive blasts, and he tossed around Jaune like a ragdoll.

"You ok, Big Deal?" Lilo asked the boy. He had tried to flirt, but she casually shot him down. She called him Big Deal because of the cockiness he carried when flirting. "Cardin didn't break you too much did he?"

"No, just a little sore is all," Jaune sighed.

"I don't blame you, Cardin definitely did not have any restraint in that battle, in fact, if Professor Goodwitch hadn't called the match, you could have ended up much worse. But if you want a sparring partner, ask any of us, we can help you improve," Onyx said.

"I dunno, I'll have to think about that," Jaune said.

"Now, how about some lunch?" Lilo asked, causing Shadow and Snowfall to bark with glee.

* * *

"So, there we were, in the middle of the night," Nora was saying, her voice trying to be all ominous.

"It was day," Ren calmly corrected her.

"We were surrounded by Ursai," Nora continued as if Ren never spoke. Jasmine, Ruby, Yang and Lilo were interested in her tale.

"They were Beowolves," Ren corrected her again. He then took a sip of his coffee.

"Dozens of them!" Nora shouted, causing Yang and Lilo to jerk back.

"Two of them," Ren spoke up again.

Teams RWBY, JNPR and KOLD were all sat at one of the longer tables at the cafeteria, having their lunch. On the right side, starting from the end, was Onyx, doing some homework, Lilo, listening to Nora with a hot dog in front of her, Ruby with a plate of cookies and a glass of milk, Weiss, who was filing her nails with a glass of water and an apple before her, Yang with a sandwich and a glass of water, and Blake, who was reading of course.

The other side had Koa, who was drinking coffee while reading the paper, Jasmine, listening to Nora while sneaking a hand over to Ruby's cookies, Jaune, who was barely touching his food with a fork, looking depressed, Pyrrha with a salad looking at Nora, Nora herself with a sandwich as she told her tale, and Ren with his coffee.

"But they were no match for us, and in the end, Ren and I took them down and made a boat-load of Lien selling Ursa-skin rugs," Nora finished her tale with a smile, while Ruby and Pyrrha glanced at Jaune with worried looks.

"She's been having this recurring dream for nearly a month now," Ren sighed.

"You know… that does not surprise me once," Lilo muttered dryly.

"Are you sure she's sane?" Koa glanced up to ask Ren.

"Jaune, are you ok?" Pyrrha asked. Everyone looked at the blonde with varying expressions.

"Huh? Oh, uh yeah, why?" Jaune asked, trying to look away from them.

"Jaune, listen man, you don't look ok," Koa said.

"Guys, I'm fine," Jaune said. "Seriously, look," He tried to convince them with a not-so convincing grin and a thumbs up.

"Not the best at lying are you Big Deal?" Lilo pointed out.

All twelve heard laughing, and turned to see Team CRDL at another table, surrounding another student. A girl wearing the uniform, with waist-length brown hair and a pair of long brown rabbit ears, showing her to be a Faunus. Cardin sits on her right while Russel on her left and Dove and Sky are in front. Jaune saw this and clenched his fist, while Koa, Jasmine and Lilo looked on with irritation.

"Jaune, Cardin has been picking on you since day one," Pyrrha said.

"Who, Cardin Winchester?" Jaune asked. "Nah, he just likes to mess around you know, practical jokes."

"He's a bully," Ruby spoke up, slapping away Jasmine's hand from her cookies.

"He's an ass," Koa and Lilo both said.

"Oh please, name ONE time he's 'bullied' me," Jaune said, air quoting bullied.

* * *

Flashback 1

* * *

Jaune was walking down the hall with a mountain of books in his hand, when Cardin walked by, slapping the books from his hand.

"Oh, come on!" Jaune yelled.

* * *

Flashback 2

* * *

Jaune was about to enter his next class when Cardin came out of said class. As they walked past each other, Cardin pressed the button on Jaune's sheath that makes it become it's shield, resulting in it getting stuck in the doorway. Jaune tried to get it out to no avail.

"Agh! Oh, come on!" Jaune grumbled.

* * *

Flashback 3

* * *

Goodwitch was showing some of the first years a tour, and was currently showing them the locker room. "Each of you will be assigned one rocket-propelled locker to store your weapons and extra armour. Additionally, your locker can be sent to a custom location based on a six digit code."

In the back, Jaune and Cardin were unfortunately next to each other, and Cardin just had a devious idea, and shoved Jaune in an open locker and closed it.

"What?! No, wait, wait! Get me out of here! Please, don't, don't, don't!" Jaune pleaded as Cardin pressed six random numbers and the RPL shot up and away from the school.

"Oh come ooooonnnn!" His voice wailed, Cardin watching the rocket locker as it flew away.

* * *

Flashback end

* * *

Lilo held up three fingers as the group reminded him of his run-ins with the brute.

"Do you get the point? Or shall I go on?" She asked. "I highly suggest the latter, I have at least twenty-ish more incidents."

"I didn't land that far from the school," Jaune defended himself.

"You landed in the middle of the Emerald Forest, one of the second year teams had to go in and heave you out before you became lunch for the locals," Koa pointed out.

"Jaune, you know if you ever need help, just ask," Pyrrha said.

"Ooh! We'll break his legs!" Nora grinned evilly.

"Oh I'll break more than his legs," Lilo cracked her knuckles, Jasmine gave a nod of agreement.

"Down girls," Koa told the Faunus to keep their cool.

Jaune stood up with his tray, "Guys, really, it's fine. Besides, it's not like he's only a jerk to me. He's a jerk to everyone!" He said.

"Ow! That hurts!" All eyes are brought back to Cardin, who was yanking on one of the rabbit girl's ears, all while laughing at her. "Please stop."

"I told you they were real," Cardin said, clearly not caring.

"What a freak," Russel laughed with him, as did the other two.

Lilo stood up, as did Jasmine, "Right. That's it," She snarled.

"Guys, wait!" Yang called out, but to no avail as the two Faunus walked over to where their fellow Faunus was in distress.

Lilo reached out, her grip as strong as a vice as it grabbed hold of Cardin and Russel by their ears. Jasmine was doing the same to Dove and Sky. Such an action made Cardin release the girl's ear, and the full sized forms of Snowfall and Shadow stepped between her and the team of jerks.

Lilo pulled Cardin down onto his knees, and threw Russel over to her wolves, who looked just as furious as she did. "Cardin Winchester. I would say it's a pleasure to meet you, but then I'd need to tear my own tongue out." She said.

"What do you want freak?" Cardin asked, clearly in pain.

"See, that's exactly it. I don't see a freak, unless you are referring to yourself and your pack of omegas," Lilo said. When she was greeted by four looks of confusion, she sighed, "It means you are at the bottom of the ranks. You are superior to _no one_!" She snapped.

Cardin growled at her, but she just squeezed his ear harder. "Now, you apologise to this adorable young lady, or I start removing limbs." She commanded.

"And why should we listen to you?!" Dove bravely asked, as Jasmine held him down with surprising force. Her other charge was wrapped up in her tail, and Sky would have found it extremely pleasant, if it wasn't for the fact she was constricting him like a python.

Lilo nodded to Jasmine, who nodded, using Koa's semblance to start to push him into the ground. Cardin eventually folded, "Fine! Look, I'm sorry for pulling your ears!" He said to the girl. He scowled back at Lilo. "Are you happy now?"

"Not really, but it's her call," Lilo said, looking at the rabbit girl. "Did you find his apology to be satisfactory?"

"Um, yeah, just please don't do it again," The girl said timidly.

"Well, you heard it from her, and you had better _not_ do this again, or all four of you will be lunch for the pups," Lilo said, pointing at Snowfall and Shadow, who barked, licking their chops.

Lilo bent down to Cardin, "Now, get out," She told him.

All four members of Team CRDL took that as their cue to run, and they legged it out of the cafeteria.

"You could learn a thing or two from Lilo," Koa said to Jaune. "She doesn't have patience for bullies."

"You ok?" Lilo sighed, then asked the girl.

"Uh… y-y-yes. T-thank you," The girl nodded shyly.

"What's your name?" Lilo asked, as Shadow and Snowfall returned to her side in their shrunk down forms.

"Velvet Scarlatina," She said.

"Hey, if those guys cause trouble again, come find me, Yang or Nora over there," Lilo smiled. "We'll break their legs for you."

"Um… ok, again, thank you," Velvet shyly smiled.

"No problem, we Faunus girls gotta stick together," Lilo pulled her into a one-armed hug and Jasmine into the other.

"I'll remember that, thanks again," The rabbit girl then walked off.

"That was amazing!" Ruby blinked as Lilo and Jasmine walked back over. "Remind me not to annoy you!"

"They've been needing a spanking since day one, I'm just glad I got to do it first," Lilo shrugged, sitting back at her seat at the table after taking a smattering of applause from the other students, a fair few who must have faced at least one of those four and their bullying ways.

"So, what were we talking about before Lilo gave us a beautiful show?" Nora asked.

"The same reason I gave you all a brilliant show," Lilo commented dryly, turning to Jaune.

Jaune sighed, "I'm not hungry, see you in class," The blonde said, before walking away.

Pyrrha watched him go, as did Ruby and the whole of Team KOLD.

One person who was rapidly becoming unimpressed by Jaune's attitude was Lilo. _Either he grows a spine, or Cardin will break it… He has a_ team _to help him now, as well as the rest of us. He needs to stop hiding and man up._

* * *

 **Lilo: You should have let me tear his ear off!**

 **Koa: A bit graphic in front of Ruby don't you think?**

 **Onyx: I'm more surprised about Jasmine's involvement in all that. She looked furious.**

 **Jasmine: 'I don't want to talk about it'.**

 **All: Next time: Bravado Leads to Blackmail!**


	12. Chapter 12: Bravado Leads to Blackmail

**Chapter 12: Bravado Leads to Blackmail**

 **Title Song: And I Knew - Feint (DeadlyDnB Music Promotions)**

* * *

It had been a few days since the events in the cafeteria. Team JNPR, as well as RWBY members Weiss and Blake, and KOLD members Jasmine and Lilo were sat in Doctor Oobleck's class. Oobleck was a rather tall man, with messy green hair and a pair of seemingly opaque glasses on the bridge of his nose. He wore a white shirt that was partially tucked in to his dark green pants and the collar of his shirt was raised, showing a slack, yellow tie, as well as mismatched brown and black shoes.

The doctor taught History of Remnant, and he was darting around the room as he spoke, a cup of what must be coffee in his hand, causing his erratic behaviour, speech and movement patterns. While most students were trying to keep up with the speed of his words, Jaune was snoring away in his seat, causing Jasmine to sigh quietly, but do nothing more, her eyes watching their teacher, afraid to miss a single important detail from his lecture.

"Yes, yes, prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution, more popularly known as the Faunus War, humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralizing Faunus population in Menagerie," Dr. Oobleck quickly said, taking a sip from his cup.

 _And I thought Koa and Professor Ozpin drank a lot of coffee,_ Jasmine thought. _He must have put twenty packets of sugar in that mug before the lesson even started._

"Now, while this must feel like ancient history to many of you, it is important to remember that these are relatively recent events. Why the repercussions of the uprising can still be seen to this day," Oobleck continued after another sip. "Now, have any among you been subjugated or discriminated because of your Faunus heritage?" He asked.

Jasmine, Lilo and another student raised their hands at this. The rabbit Faunus, Velvet Scarlatina was also present in this class, and noticing her fellow Faunus being strong, she hesitantly raised her arm as well.

"Dreadful, just dreadful. Remember students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence. I mean, I mean, just look what happened to the White Fang," Oobleck stated, shaking his head.

Jasmine grit her teeth so hard they almost chipped, and her hands were balled into tiny fists, furious with the mention of that name.

Lilo glanced at her teammate, and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. _Yeah… the peaceful protest group turned violent terrorist organisation. They allowed the anger and thirst for revenge they held for the humans to cloud their thoughts, swallowing their souls and turning them into the monsters mankind saw them to be._

"Now. Which of you young scholars can tell me what many theorists believe to be the turning point in the third year of the war?" Oobleck asked.

Jasmine was first to raise her hand, already typing a response on her scroll with the other hand. "Yes! Miss Diali!"

Jasmine pressed play, and an automated voice spoke from her scroll. _"The battle at Fort Castle."_

"Very good! And who can tell me the advantage the Faunus had over General Lagune's forces?" Oobleck asked.

At this point, Cardin flicked a small piece of paper onto Jaune's head, causing the boy to wake up, and he looked back at the bully with a small glare. "Hey!" He muttered.

"Mr Arc! Finally contributing to class I see! This is excellent. EXCELLENT! What is the answer?" Oobleck was suddenly right before the blonde boy.

"Uh, the answer…" Jaune began, glancing around, and seeing a glowing answer, provided by Lilo, who had borrowed Jasmine's pen. She had written two words, and Jaune quickly gasped as if he had the answer. "Night Vision," He said.

Oobleck glanced around, seeing nothing, Lilo having fanned away the light dust by the time he had turned her way. He looked back, surprised. "Excellent!" He smiled.

"Well, personally, I think it's easier to train an animal than a soldier," Cardin voiced his opinion, causing every Faunus in the room to glare at him. Oobleck just shook his head for the boy's racial comment.

"You're not the most open-minded of individuals, are you Cardin?" Pyrrha rhetorically asked, getting irritated by Cardin. Jasmine could tell it by hearing her voice.

"What? You got a problem?" Cardin asked begrudgingly.

"No, she just making an observation," Lilo said. "And I would _politely_ ask that you do not insult my great-grandfather. He was THERE, on that battlefield!" She fumed at Cardin.

This caused a few heads to turn. "Grandaddy would tell me when I was a kid that his pappy believed in equality for humans and Faunus alike, and he died knowing that such equality, however small, had taken effect."

"Faunus have near perfect sight in the dark," Blake said. "General Lagune was inexperienced, and made the mistake of trying to ambush the Faunus in their sleep. His massive army was outmatched and the general was captured."

 _"His arrogance in believing he could defeat them at night left him vulnerable. You can never underestimate your opponent, otherwise you could walk right into your own defeat,"_ Jasmine's scroll spoke for her, the girl having been typing since the answering began.

"Excellent point, Miss Diali. Multiple factors can lead one to defeat, and history has shown that arrogance leads to downfall," Oobleck said.

"Too bad history seems to be repeating itself, since SOME people still arrogantly think they're better than others," Lilo said. "But by all means Winchester, do try to fight ME in the dark, I'd be happy to re-enact the sorry general's defeat."

"Mr Winchester, for the racist comments this lesson, you can remain for extra readings. Mr Arc, I was thinking of adding you to the extra readings as well, but since you answered the question, I will overlook your apparent lack of sleep," Oobleck said.

* * *

When the class ended, Jaune walked out of the class, "You owe me Big Deal," Lilo said. "I swear, if you had said binoculars, I might have strangled you."

"Yeah, just say the word, I owe you one," Jaune sighed.

"You know, we will break his legs," Pyrrha offered.

"Amen to that thought sister," Lilo smirked, seeing Cardin getting berated by Oobleck through the door. The brute then walked out, knocking both Jaune and Jasmine over as he stormed from the room.

"Hey, Cardin!" She called.

Cardin turned, just to get a brutal punch to the gut, sending him flying down the corridor and out a window. Thankfully they were on the ground floor of the academy.

"I have an idea!" Pyrrha smiled. "Follow me!" She said, pulling Jaune along with him.

Lilo glanced at Jasmine, helping the fox to her feet. "Want to follow?" She asked.

Jasmine shook her head, holding up her textbook, "Ah, good point, see you back at the dorm, try not to finish without me." She glanced down at the pups. _Snowfall, go with her, Shadow, stick with me_.

The fox nodded, walking back to the dorms with the white wolf in tow, while Lilo ran after Pyrrha and Jaune, the black one right behind her.

* * *

Following the scent that they left, she found the two on the roof, and slipped out, silently observing the conversation from the overhang above the door.

"…Pyrrha, I know I'm going through a hard time right now, but I'm not _that_ depressed," Jaune said, looking over the roof edge. "I can always become a farmer or… something," Jaune muttered.

Lilo and Pyrrha's eyes widened, the latter pulling her Leader back, "NO!" She yelled in panic.

"Don't be an idiot," Lilo sighed.

"That's not why I brought you up here," Pyrrha explained. "I know you're having a difficult time in class, and that you're not the best of fighters…"

"That's an understatement," Lilo mumbled.

"… I want to help you," Pyrrha said.

"What?" Jaune asked.

"We can train up here, unbothered by anyone else," Pyrrha said.

"You really think I need help huh?" Jaune asked, rubbing his head in embarrassment.

"Yes," Lilo offered her opinion.

"Jaune, that's not what we meant," Pyrrha said, pointing a look at Lilo.

"But you just said it," Jaune retorted.

"Everyone needs a push from time to time. It doesn't make you any different from the rest of us. You made to Beacon. That alone speaks volumes of what you're capable of," Pyrrha said, being supportive.

Jaune turned away, looking over the rooftops of Beacon. "… you're wrong… I don't belong here," He sighed.

"Elaborate," Lilo said, curious to why he said this.

Jaune bunched his hand into a fist. "I… I wasn't really accepted into Beacon."

"What do you mean?" Asked both girls, Lilo even doing the cute dog thing when they're confused, tilting her head slightly.

"I mean I didn't go to combat school. I didn't pass any tests, I didn't EARN my spot at this academy," Jaune said. "I lied. I got my hands on some fake transcripts and I lied," He said.

Lilo finally got down from her perch, "So what if you lied? So what if you didn't pass any tests? It just means that you have a bigger hurdle to get over than the rest of us." She said, walking towards him.

"Why did you lie?" Asked Pyrrha.

"Cuz this is what I always wanted to be. My father, my grandfather and his father before him were all warriors. They were all heroes. I wanted to be one too. I was just never good enough," Jaune explained.

"What did you expect was going to happen Jaune?!" Lilo asked. "We are huntsmen and huntresses now. There is no easy path. No shortcuts. By sidestepping all of that and coming straight here, you have given yourself the biggest challenge of all. Not conquering grimm, or helping villagers outside the kingdoms. No. Your challenge is finding yourself, and if you can't even do that… then you really don't have any hope."

"Let me help you," Pyrrha offered again.

"I don't want help! I don't want to be the damsel in distress! I want to be the hero!" Jaune said.

"Jaune-!" Pyrrha began, but Jaune cut her off.

"I'm tired of being the lovable idiot, stuck in the tree, while his friends fight for their lives! Don't you understand? If I can't do this on my own, then what good am I?" He shrieked at her.

He turned away, looking at the stars. "Just leave me alone," He sighed. "Okay?"

Pyrrha frowned slightly, and glanced at Lilo, showing that she looked hurt. "If that is what you think is best," She sighed, walking away.

Lilo growled at him. "And with that, your challenge has gotten _even harder_." That was all she said, before she too walked away. Before she could close the door, she heard something that made her sigh.

"Heh-heh-heh, oh Jaune," Cardin Winchester clambered up from below.

"Cardin?!" Jaune asked.

"I couldn't help but overhear you and those other two from my dorm room, so you snuck into Beacon eh?" Cardin sneered, before he chuckled. "Gotta say, I never expected you to be such a rebel."

"Please, Cardin, don't tell anyone!" Jaune pleaded.

"Come on Jauney boy, I would never rat out a friend like that," Cardin said.

"Uh… A friend?" Jaune asked, nervous.

Cardin walked over, and put a massive arm around Jaune, practically choking the poor boy, "That's right! We're friends now Jauney-boy. And the way I see it, as long as you're there for me when I need you, we'll be friends for a long time," Cardin said, dropping Jaune.

"That being said, I really don't have time to do those extra readings Dr. Oobleck gave me today. Pages 51 to 91. And I need them before the next class," Cardin told him, rubbing Jaune's head like a dog. "Think you could handle that for me buddy? That's what I thought." Cardin began walking back to where he had climbed up. "Don't worry Jauney-boy. Your secret is safe with me," Cardin chuckled, before climbing down to his dorm room.

Lilo could just listen, and she didn't like the situation. _So, that is what fate has in store for you is it? Sorry Big Deal, if you want to_ be _a big deal, first you have to overcome your first obstacle._ With that, she walked down the stairs, leaving Jaune to himself.

* * *

She walked back to her dorm room, and entered to find Onyx reading a textbook at the desk, Jasmine on her bed going over some homework with Snowfall lying comfortably next to her. She could also hear running water, and sussed that Koa was in the shower. "Sup," She said, walking over, kicking off her shoes and hopping up to sit next to Jasmine.

"Hey, where'd you go," Onyx asked.

"I'll talk when Koa's out," Jasmine shrugged.

Koa emerged a little bit later in his night clothes, and nodded at seeing Lilo returned. "Jas told us you went with Jaune and Pyrrha," He said. "Care to share a story?"

"First off, this stays in this room. I just found out Jaune snuck into Beacon," She said.

"What?" All heads turned at this.

Lilo explained what happened on the rooftops. When she finished, all were silent. "I see…" Koa muttered.

"It would explain his … mediocre fighting skills," Onyx said.

'Indeed, now we know how he's been struggling, both in his studies and his combat,' Jasmine wrote out.

"That's not the worst part though," Lilo said. "Cardin Winchester also knows about Jaune's entry methods, and he's turned Jaune into his own personal slave, making him do his work in exchange for hiding his secret."

'That JERK!' Jasmine wrote quickly, her ears flattened and tail swaying in fury.

"I know. But I think that Jaune needs to figure out his own way to escape from Cardin's greasy paws and make it up to Pyrrha. He'll figure it out at some point that he can't do it alone," Lilo said. She turned to her team leader. "What's your opinion of this, boss man?" She asked.

"While I do believe that Jaune needs guidance towards becoming a better fighter, as well as a better person, I agree with Lilo," Koa nodded. "Jaune needs to figure this out on his own, and, although I would love to give Cardin another lesson in manners, we should let Jaune handle his own problems. I've seen this sort of thing before, pointless macho making a boy feel like a man, and they all figure it out sooner or later."

"And what about Team JNPR?" Onyx asked.

"Pyrrha knows the truth, but I don't think she'll share the details with Nora and Ren. And I think this will prove as a perfect test to see how the team as a whole will improve," Lilo said. "Team RWBY has had one, which was Ruby and Weiss' 'disagreement' back on the first day, now it's JNPR's turn."

* * *

 **Koa: And so, the truth about our little golden boy is revealled.**

 **Lilo: Agreed, and he's gonna have to deal with it himself.**

 **All: Next time: Cowardice Breeds Bravery**


	13. Chapter 13: Cowardice Breeds Bravery

**Chapter 13: Cowardice Breeds Bravery**

 **Title Song: Jaune and the Ursa by Steve Goldshein (RT4C)**

* * *

It had been a few days since Lilo discovered Jaune's story, and things were not improving. Jaune had started hanging out with Cardin and the rest of Team CRDL more than his own team thanks to Cardin's blackmail threat. This definitely had caused a rift to grow between them, and it was becoming apparent to both Teams KOLD and RWBY.

Nightfall had fallen upon the four members of Team KOLD, all were sleeping peacefully, well, all but one. Jasmine whimpered as she slept.

* * *

Flashback

* * *

 _"Ok, let's get ready," Doctor Krys said to her team, before she turned back to her latest subject. She held up her scroll, and quickly went over the details._

 _Name: Jasmine Diali. Age: four years old. Obtained: Melodious Village. Family: None, all deceased. Aura active: No. Race: Faunus (Fox)._

 _Krys looked up, and looked into the young, scared, wide eyes of Jasmine. "W-what are you going to do to me?" The girl asked, she was shackled to a medical table, with two energy coils beside her, one on either side._

 _Krys hated her job, but she did so, because if she didn't, Adam would just find someone else to do it. And she would die._

 _So, with her heart heavy, Krys turned to one of her fellow scientists. "Begin procedure."_

 _Suddenly, lightning sparked from the top of the energy coils, before the lightning rods at the top arced the lightning straight at Jasmine, who screamed endlessly as the electrical surge charged through her body._

 _"I'm so sorry," Krys mumbled, before getting back into the mindset of chief scientist of Adam Taurus' branch of the White Fang._

* * *

Flashback ends

* * *

Jasmine woke with a start, gasping suddenly as she shuddered, remembering the unspeakable horrors she underwent as a prisoner. Her gasping had woken her team, who looked at her with varying expressions of worry.

"Jas?" Koa asked, first to get up and see her. He saw the sweat, and it was all he needed to see. "Another one?"

She nodded, and hopped down to go into the bathroom to splash her face with water.

Koa watched her go, his fists clenched. "She has these nightmares at least once a month, sometimes more, and they're always the same. The torture she went through…"

"What happened to her?" Lilo asked, her voice extremely soft.

"I don't know. She keeps that information very deep in her closet," Koa sighed. "All I know… is that it almost broke her."

* * *

 _Next day_

* * *

After finishing their final class, then handling the most important homework, Team KOLD decided to go and do their own things. Koa returned to the dorm to continue with his models, Onyx went to the library to continue his conquest to read every book they had, Lilo went to shoot something, and Jasmine returned to the dorm, just to change.

She emerged a moment later, wearing a yellow tracksuit, before heading out again, running the entire perimeter of the school. As she ran, she thought. _I can never stop improving._ She thought.

Jasmine did this routine twice a day, once in the morning, before she showered and got ready for class, then once when she finished class. Then, when she finished, she would try to break her silence, try to get _ONE_ syllable to form from her lips, using vocal chords she hadn't used in years.

She would always try this whenever she was alone. _Ok, just… say something…_ She thought, before trying to say 'yes'. All she could do when she opened her mouth was a pathetic sound which sounded like a yip.

Jasmine sighed, looking out at Vale from the landing pad she had sat down on, her legs hanging over the edge, and her tails hooked around a landing light behind her.

 _One day, I'll find my voice again… I won't give up._

* * *

When she returned to the dorms, she found Ruby in her pyjamas, looking at Jaune, who had just come from his own dorm room. She would have pass them, but Ruby noticed her and smiled. "Hey Jasmine, back from your evening run?"

'Yup', Jasmine had her pen in hand. 'I was about to head back to the dorm for a shower, then go for some food'.

"Ah," Ruby nodded. She looked back to Jaune, "Anyway, where have you been lately?" She asked the blonde boy.

"I uh…" Jaune started, then sighed. "I messed up."

 _Clearly,_ Jasmine thought, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah… I did something I shouldn't have… and now Cardin has me on a tight leash, and Pyrrha won't even talk to me," Jaune said. "And Lilo…" He sighed. "I don't think she likes how much of a wimp I am. I'm starting to think coming to this school was a bad idea," Jaune said, sliding his back down the door and sitting on the floor. "I'm a failure."

 _How long did it take for you to figure that out?_ Jasmine thought.

"Nope," Ruby chirped.

"Nope?" Jaune asked, and both looked at the Scythe user.

"Nope. You're a leader now Jaune. You're not allowed to be a failure," Ruby said.

"But what if I'm a failure at being a leader?" Jaune asked.

Ruby gave a small thought, before speaking, "Hmm… nope." She walked over and sat down next to him.

"Heh, you know, you're not the easiest to talk to about this sort of stuff," Jaune sighed.

 _I'm sure that we can help if you let us!_ Jasmine thought with a sigh. Never had she wanted to shout at a person more than she did now.

"Nope Jaune. Maybe you were a failure when you were a kid," Ruby began, making Jaune groan and slump down. "You might have even been a failure when we met on the second day," Jaune groaned and slumped even further. Jasmine wanted to laugh at the weird motivational speech Ruby was giving. "But, you can't be one now. You know why?" Ruby asked.

"Uh… because…" Jaune started.

"Because it's not just about you anymore. You have a team. You, me and Koa," Ruby said, looking up at Jasmine with a smile.

She brought out her scroll and began typing. _"She's right Jaune. 'There is no I in team.' Just as a leader must trust his or her teammates, that leader must_ earn _the trust of his or her teammates. So, it is time for you to stop thinking about yourself, and start thinking of Pyrrha, Ren and Nora before one of you end up hurt, or worse."_ The app she used as a paragraph speaker said.

"Jasmine is right, Jaune. If we fail, then we'll just be bringing them down with us," Ruby said, standing and putting her hands on her hips. "We have to put our teammates first, and ourselves second. Your team deserves a great leader Jaune, and I think that can be you. Have a good night Jaune. You too Jasmine," Ruby said, before heading back into her room.

Jasmine gave a smile to Jaune, rubbing his hair, before walking by, heading into Team KOLD's room.

She found the whole team readying for sleep, "Hey, suit up for bed early tonight Jas, we've got that trip to Forever Fall coming tomorrow, and Goodwitch can't protect all of us at once," Koa said.

Jasmine gave a salute to her best friend, before disappearing into the bathroom with her PJs.

* * *

 _Next day, in the Forever Fall forest…_

* * *

The Forever Fall forest was a lot like the Emerald Forest, but the leaves of the trees, the bushes and the grass were more red, symbolising the 'Fall' part of the forest's name. The leaves constantly were falling from the trees, giving the forest a serene and almost mystical feel. Professor Goodwitch led the field trip, including Teams RWBY, JNPR, KOLD and CRDL, into a clearing.

"Yes students, the Forever Fall forest is indeed beautiful, but we are not here to sight-see," Goodwitch said, but the students were definitely doing that anyway. "Professor Peach has asked you all to collect samples from the trees deep inside this forest, and I'm here to make sure none of you get eaten while doing so."

Goodwitch turned around, which signalled the group to stop. All but Jaune, who was stuck behind the giant wall called Cardin, so he walked into the back of him, all while carrying seven jars in a cardboard box. Cardin looked back, growling, causing Jaune to chuckle nervously, whistling while avoiding the bully's grasp.

"Each of you will gather one jar's worth of red sap," Goodwitch said, holding a jar full of said substance. "However, this forest is full of the Creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates."

Lilo quickly held her hand up, causing Goodwitch to pause, "Yes, Miss Fuchsia?" She asked.

"Just thought I'd warn everyone, Ursa love this stuff like Bears love honey, so if you spill any, just start again, on the other side of the forest," Lilo said. "Take it from a girl who experienced such an incident."

"Sound advice," Pyrrha nodded. Several of the others also shared their gratitude for the warning.

"Indeed," Goodwitch smiled, glad someone was learning something. "We'll rendezvous back here at 4:00 PM, have fun!" Goodwitch said, before the students fanned out by team, except for poor Jaune, who was dragged away by Cardin.

Lilo and Pyrrha watched the action, and frowned sadly. "Don't worry, I think that Jaune will get his chance to shine, very soon." Lilo said, before getting to work.

The three teams minus Jaune went about their business, Jasmine deciding to take an extra jar to fill, when she was asked about this, she answered, 'For Jaune'.

As they worked, they also had to worry about their sweet-tooth Nora from taking and eating all the sap, which annoyed anyone who fell victim to her sneaky grabbing.

Koa whistled as he worked, the sap getting drizzled into his jar. He then glanced over at Pyrrha, who had a melancholy look on her face as she looked to the sky. Sharing a glance with Ruby, the younger Leader walked over.

"You ok Pyrrha?" Ruby asked.

"Huh?" Pyrrha asked, setting down her jar. "Yeah, I'm fine," She answered. Koa noticed Nora's greedy gloves making a move for the female Spartan's jar, and he lunged over with his semblance, flicking her on the forehead.

"Don't. I'm watching you," He warned the bubbly girl.

* * *

Things got relatively quiet after that, until a loud roar disturbed the silence.

Lilo was first to react, "Ursa." She said, Snowfall and Shadow, who had been quietly snoozing next to her quick to awaken and growl.

"Sounds like trouble," Nora observed.

Suddenly, Russel, Dove and Sky ran towards them. "That's a big Ursa!" Russel yelled, as they were running. However, he collided with Yang, who picked him up by his shirt. Likewise, Lilo grabbed Dove in one hand and held Sky down by her foot.

"Where?!" Yang demanded.

"And be quick!" Lilo added.

"Back there! It's got Cardin!" Russel said.

"And Jaune?" Lilo asked.

"He's there too!" Sky whimpered.

"Yang, you and Blake go find Professor Goodwitch!" Ruby went into leader mode, as the two brawlers let RDL go.

"You two, go with them! There could be more," Pyrrha took command of NPR, Ren and Nora nodding as they took off after Blake and Yang.

"Lilo, go with them! Contact us if you run into more trouble," Koa said, drawing his boomerangs. "Jasmine, Onyx, with me!" He said, before forming up with Ruby, Weiss and Pyrrha.

The six quickly arrive on scene, just as Cardin is thrown to the ground by a massive Ursa Major. The bully's armour was stained with red sap, which was clearly why the Ursa was after him alone. Jaune was hesitating off to the side.

"Oh no…!" Pyrrha said, seeing the Grimm get closer, ready to deliver a final blow.

Cardin turned, seeing the Ursa looming over him, a paw the size of his head coming down, but suddenly, a white shield was between him and certain death.

Koa gave a small smile, as Jaune stood bravely before Cardin. _Lilo would be proud_.

Weiss and Onyx both looked like they were about to join the fight. "Wait," Pyrrha said.

"Huh?" Both asked, baffled.

"She's right. Let Jaune handle this, I think he's got this," Koa agreed, holstering Return to Sender with a twirl.

Jaune pushed the Grimm's claw back, swinging his sword and landing a cut on it's chest with his sword. The blow made the Ursa stumble back, before it attacked again with the same claw. Jaune leapt over it, causing the Ursa major to miss, striking the ground, but the other paw slammed into him while he was mid-air, sending Jaune sprawling.

Jaune ran back in, jumping at the Ursa Major with his sword, but the Grimm swatted him back again. Jaune seemed to pause, maybe looking at his scroll to check his Aura level. Koa glanced at Pyrrha's, which showed Jaune's aura to be in the red.

The young knight charged back in again, as the Ursa did the same. As they got close, everything seemed to slow down as Jaune swung his sword while the Grimm lunged with it's right claw. Koa was alarmed, seeing that Jaune's shield was lowered, meaning he would get hit. Suddenly, Jaune's shield rose, cased in a black glow, which allowed the paw to just deflect off it. Koa glanced at Pyrrha, who's hand was also in the same black glow.

Jaune took the chance, and, placing a foot firmly on the ground, made one more swing upwards that removed the Ursa Major's head from it's shoulders. As the slow effect expired, the head fell away, as the body began to disappear into black smoke.

"Uh, what?" Ruby asked in confusion.

"Could someone explain what just happened?" Koa asked.

"How did you-?" Weiss began to ask Pyrrha.

"Well. Ruby has her speed, you have your glyphs, Koa has his Hardlight, Onyx has his Bolstering, and Jasmine has Copy/Paste. My semblance… is polarity," Pyrrha said.

"I see, that is a powerful semblance," Onyx said.

"Oh, so you control poles!" Ruby muttered in awe.

"No Ruby. She has control over magnetism," Koa said, impressed.

"Magnets are cool too," Ruby corrected herself, as Pyrrha turned to leave.

"Wait, where are you going?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah, we gotta tell them what happened," Ruby added.

"We could," Pyrrha glanced over at her Leader, who sheathed his blade. "Or, we could keep it our little secret."

Pyrrha turned to leave, followed by Ruby and Weiss. Koa then noticed that Jasmine had been holding her scroll, recording the entire battle. He was about to say something, when he saw Jaune walk towards Cardin, and hold out a hand.

"Holy crap Jaune," Cardin muttered, surprised that the boy who had just saved his life was the same one that had snuck into Beacon.

"Don't ever mess with my team, my FRIENDS, ever again," Jaune said, some strength behind his words as he helped Cardin to his feet.

 _Good show Jaune Arc, I think you'll be fine_ , Koa chuckled, before nodding to Jasmine, who ended recording. "Let's take this back. We can edit it and show it to Team JNPR later."

'And Lilo,' Jasmine reminded him.

"And Lilo," Koa chuckled, before wrapping a friendly arm around her shoulder.

* * *

 **Koa: And that is the end of this triple whammy, and the 'Jaune... Arc...' Oops... Pun _NOT_ intended.**

 **Onyx: So, what's next for us to experience?**

 **Jasmine: 'Yeah, what now?'**

 **Koa: Let's just say... it could be interesting indeed.**

 **All: Next time: An Assignment for us?**


	14. Chapter 14: An Assignment for Us?

**I've been looking forward to this. I welcome you all back to Team KOLD's adventures, and now I get to introduce some new OCs of mine, I hope you grow to like them like you have with Team KOLD.  
**

 **RWBY has, is, and will always be the creation of Monty Oum and Roosterteeth. I only own my OCs.**

* * *

 **Chapter 14: An Assignment For Us?**

 **Title Song: Deliverance (Vindsvept)**

* * *

A week quickly passed after Jaune freed himself from Cardin's oppression. It wasn't hard to see that JNPR was doing better as a whole since the young knight grew a spine.

Friday had come, and the last class of the day, which made everyone happy, was combat class. At the moment, it was Koa against Ren.

Ren fired a burst from Storm Flower, which were his twin auto-pistols. Koa blocked by quickly raising a barrier. A boomerang then spun around, almost hitting Ren, but the green garbed student was quick to react, ducking.

Koa sprang up, kicking the boomerang back away, the metal object bouncing off his soles. As this happened, he sprinted at Ren, his other boomerang catching several quick slashes from his opponent's blades.

Ren then caught him off guard while in a lock of their blades, firing the guns within his own and knocking the boomerang to the ground with the sudden kick. At that moment, the first boomerang came back around, hitting Ren in the leg, toppling the man and sending him falling forwards.

Koa was quick to react to the development, leaping up and kicking Ren in the gut, knocking him to the floor.

Catching the boomerang that knocked Ren off balance, Koa grabbed it and one of Ren's Stormflowers, holding it aimed at his face, which the boomerang sparking with electricity raised to strike.

"Do you yield?" He asked.

"I admit defeat," Ren nodded. Koa holstered his boomerang, then helped his opponent up.

"And that's another on Koa's win streak," Lilo muttered to Yang, the two brawlers sat next to each other in the stands.

"I know, he's got so much luck," Yang nodded. "And it's not even a semblance."

The bell rang, signalling the end of the lessons for the week. Goodwitch turned back from when she was giving her observations to Koa and Ren. "Team KOLD, if you could remain for a moment of your time?"

"I swear, if this is about hanging Team CRDL on the statue in the courtyard in their underwear…" Lilo sighed.

"No, it's not that, in fact, your forms of disciplinary are better than anything I could give them, but please, try to restrain yourself Miss Fuchsia," Goodwitch said.

"Eh, no promises. That depends on their development, not mine," Lilo shrugged.

All four members of the team were sat on the benches, when the door opened, Professor Ozpin and four students walking in.

The first was a dark blonde-haired girl with hazel eyes. She wore a black poncho with gold lines over a dark yellow corset with black lace that hugged her fair skinned, voluptuous form. Below the waist was a pair of black shorts held up by a brown belt with a holster. Black cowboy boots were on her feet, complete with the spurs on the back, and a dark yellow cowgirl hat saw strung to hang behind her head.

The second was another girl, but was a cat Faunus, judging by the cat ears above her dark blue hair that was in a pair of long, shoulder length ponytails. Her eyes were a piercing bright orange and her skin was a darker shade than the first girl. She wore a blue sleeveless shirt with black lines at the trims and down the middle, a white skirt was beneath the waist, and a pair of dark brown leggings went down to a pair of black high boots.

The third was the only boy of the team, with dark, burgundy hair, and dark red eyes. On his forehead, right in the middle, was a small purple diamond shape. His outfit consisted of a dark grey tank-top under a burgundy sleeveless jacket that he had open. Below his waist was a pair of grey cargo pants, which were held up by a brown tool belt with lots of pouches and pockets and black light shoes.

The forth was another girl, with fiery red hair, brighter than Pyrrha's, and she had red eyes as well. Her outfit was that of a black jacket with a red interior over a black corset with red lace, red tight pants and black sneakers. Around her neck were grimm teeth strung into a necklace, some pilot's goggles were above her forehead, and her hair was kept up in a ponytail with a pair of hairsticks with blue bobbles on the ends.

"First year Team KOLD, meet the second year Team MPRL (Imperial)," Ozpin said, then let the team introduce themselves.

"G'day mates, I'm Mari Gold, the leader," the blonde said.

"I'm her partner. My name is Persia Midnight," The blunette smiled.

"Call me Reggie Regalia, I'm the engineer of Team MPRL," The boy said.

"And I'm Leva Flannery, self-appointed pilot of this team," The redhead said.

"It's a pleasure, I'm Koa Maru, leader of Team KOLD," The boomerang slinger waved. He turned to his mute partner. "This is my partner, Jasmine Diali," Jasmine gave a warm smile.

"I'm Lilo Fuchsia, these are the pups Snowfall and Shadow," Lilo grinned, with her two wolves barking in the order of their names being said.

"And I'm Onyx Stone," the last member of KOLD said.

Both teams sat down, while Ozpin and Goodwitch took to standing on the stage. "Team KOLD, we've held you back this afternoon because of the promise you have shown since starting here this year," Goodwitch said.

"If you could direct your attention to the overhead screen, we have a mission we'd like you to undertake," Ozpin said.

Koa raised his hand, "Question: why send us? A _first-year_ team?" He asked.

"You did defeat a Nuckelavee, that is no small task," Reggie pointed out to him. "Out of all our time at this school, the most threatening thing we've faced is a Deathstalker."

"Good point," Koa shrugged.

"A few days ago, one of our huntsmen stumbled across a facility deep within the Wailing Woods. He sent this message, as well as an image," Ozpin said. He tapped on his scroll, and the screen lit up.

Everyone looked up, and four pairs of eyes narrowed. Koa quickly put a hand on the shaking form of Jasmine, who's eyes had sharpened considerably. _"Since I set up camp, I've seen six patrols and four vehicles come and leave, it's extremely active."_ The image was of a flag over some kind of facility.

The flag was blue, with a red beowolf head that had three slash marks going diagonally from the top right to bottom left. The facility below looked pretty similar to those Koa raided when he had been looking for Jasmine during his breaks from Signal.

"That's a White Fang facility," Persia noted.

"Indeed, and it's one of the biggest we've seen to date," Ozpin nodded. "Shortly after his contact, we lost the signal with our huntsman. Now, I know you are thinking we could dispatch fully trained huntsmen, but we are stretched rather thinly at the moment with other incidents involving the White Fang as well as Grimm hotspots."

He then gave the tiniest glance at Jasmine, "I also think that there is at least one person in this room who would like to have a go at the White Fang's numbers," He smiled.

"Excuse me, but that looks like an Atlesian Facility that has been occupied by the White Fang, is it possible to ask Atlas for the schematics for one of these structures?" Onyx asked.

"Not a bad plan. With access to those, we could assess the best point of entry," Mari agreed.

"I have connections with someone who could help get such a document. Of course, you won't be going alone either. May I present qualified huntress and Professor of Signal Academy, Professor Sapphire Maru."

Koa's eyes widened, "Mom?!" He gaped as a woman in her late thirties walked in. She had midnight blue hair held in a single ponytail that dropped to her waist, and had soft cerulean eyes. She wore a white breastplate with blue trimmings and had thin plates going up around her neck. A pair of similarly adorned pauldrons were on her shoulders and gauntlets on her wrists held the same theme, as did her greaves which went up to her knees. Under the breastplate was a light blue decorated cloth that hung down around her waist.

"Your mom is a huntress?" Asked Lilo.

"She's pretty," Persia muttered.

'Hey Mrs Maru!' Jasmine had written, waving down to the woman.

"Hey honey, hey Jasmine," Sapphire smiled. "You heard Professor Ozpin, I'm your qualified huntress on this mission, so try not to get killed out there."

"Professor Maru, I have a question," Onyx rose his hand. "If you're here, who's teaching your classes?"

"I left Professor Xiao Long in charge, the perfect payback for an incident during our Beacon days," Sapphire smirked.

"Mom? When do we leave?" Koa asked. He then gave a subtle nod in Jasmine's direction, then at the screen.

"Tomorrow morning, nine AM sharp," Mrs Maru said.

* * *

That evening, Koa found Jasmine on the landing pads outside. "Having trouble sleeping?" He asked.

Jasmine turned, nodding as Koa approached, sitting down next to her. "I won't pretend that I know what you went through during captivity, but mark my words. We _will_ stop the White Fang." He pulled her in to his side for a one-sided hug.

"Oh don't worry," Both turned, seeing Sapphire stood there. "Hopefully, answers will be acquired while we are away." She said, a stern look on her face. "Now, come on inside, you'll need a good night sleep for tomorrow."

Both students nodded, and followed the huntress inside.

* * *

The next day, both teams as well as their assigned huntress were headed down a corridor, and entered a huge room. Reggie walked over to a console, and input a code.

From the floor rose a Mistralian Sky Skiff, resting on a pad. "Everyone on board!" Mari called out. It was evident that Reggie and Leva had modified the craft, as there were bunks on board for Team MPRL, and extra storage. Also, the sail on top was a little more streamlined, and higher up, with a ladder on the inside that went up to the top level, there were three auto-cannons as well, two on the sides, and one at the rear.

"She's our pride and joy," Persia said, spotting Team KOLD's gaping expressions. "Come on, we have to go." Everyone pilled aboard, and Leva sat down in the cockpit.

"Beacon Tower, this is _Imperial_ _Voyage_ , requesting permission to take off," She said into a communicator.

" _Confirmed_ Imperial Voyage _, Have a safe journey,_ " A voice from the other end replied.

"Will do Beacon Tower, see you when we get back," Leva grinned, and closed the channel. She glanced back at the passenger bay behind her. "Hold on back there!"

Every other member of the force gripped either a railing above them, the walls or sat down on the ledges outside. Sapphire took the seat immediately behind Leva, in the co-pilot seat. "Been a while, but I recognise most of the controls for a ship like this. Miss Flannery, I'm uploading the coordinates for the facility." Leva then pushed on the controls, the ship lifting slightly, it's landing gear retracting. It then sailed into the morning Vale air.

"Yep, I got them," Leva had lowered the goggles on her forehead, a wire connecting them to the console. "You guys in the back should use the time to catch up on some extra hours of sleep, Wailing Woods is pretty far out there."

"You guys can use our bunks if you want," Persia pointed to the sleeping racks. As if on cue, Jasmine gave a faint yawn.

"Kid, come on, you head back to bed for now," Reggie said, pulling out a wrench and tossing it around between his hands.

"He's right, you are the most inexperienced with early mornings like this," Koa added, as Lilo directed the fox faunus to the bunks.

Koa turned and sat down sitting off the side of the ship, _this is it… this is the place that tormented Jasmine for so many years…_ he clenched his fists. _This… Adam Taurus… he will_ pay _for making Jasmine go through all that…_

He was soon joined by leader of MPRL, "Lien for your thoughts?" She asked.

"Just thinking. The White Fang has caused a lot of problems for my life, and more for hers…" He directed that as he glanced in the direction his friend had gone.

"I won't ask about her. Believe me, we've had our own fair share of hardships and trials," Mari sighed, sitting down next to the First-Year leader. She patted the floor of the airship. "We went to help a Mistral Team with keeping a village safe from Grimm attacks. Remember when I mentioned that Deathstalker kill we had?" She paused, and Koa nodded. "It was after the Deathstalker dropped from the ceiling in a cave and killed all of the Mistral Team. We saved the village, but when we reported the KIA of the other team, Professor Lionheart allowed us to keep the ship those guys had."

"Wow, I'm sorry to hear that, this team…" Koa asked.

"Yeah… three boys and one girl, and we all hit it off pretty well during that coalition mission, but it was my fault, I let them go without us," Mari sighed. "Get some rest, there's no telling whether you'll get another chance before we hit this facility."

"Got it boss," Koa nodded, and headed back inside and clambered into the bunk owned by Reggie, right beneath Jasmine. Her hand then dropped over the side, and Koa held it tightly.

"We'll get through it together," He muttered.

Soon enough, Leva's voice came through the interior comm. "All hands, we're just approaching the Wailing Woods," She announced. "You might want to be ready for the planning that we're about to carry out."

Koa and Jasmine came down from the upper deck, having been watching the rear, and Onyx put his book down. Everyone was in the main hold, bar from their pilot.

"Alright, Reg, kill the lights, it's time to plan this mission," Mari said, and Reggie flipped a switch, the doors closing. A holographic display of the facility came up.

"Listen up," Mari spoke out, "Our huntsman in the field sent his last communication from this ridge, with a perfect view of the base. We're first going to set down near there. It works as a nice overwatch for the mission, and also allows us to hide the _Imperial Voyage_.

"Using the blueprints provided by Professor Ozpin's contact in Atlas, we have planned the best entry plan, as well as the following steps. First, our smallest members, which are myself, Jasmine and Koa, we're going to enter the base through the vents and make our way towards this hangar," Mari paused, showing the route, which highlighted red. "We've judged it to be enough to hold a Bullhead, so, as long as there's nothing in there already, we can bring the _Voyage_ in and park."

"Following the entry to the hangar, we're going to open the door, allowing the others in, clear the place out and then begin phase 2." Mari said, and turned to Sapphire

"Ozpin, as well as Headmaster Ironwood of Atlas Academy, want us to bring back as much information as we can. KOLD, you're going to assign one man to stay with the ship, and the rest are going to head to the west wing, which we believe is some kind of science wing."

"MPRL, we're doing the same, Leva stays with the ship while Reggie and Persia, we're going to the command center to the north," Mari said. "If any trouble comes up, remember to contact the other team on the team uplink," She reminded all members of the team.

"Professor Maru, what will you be doing throughout this mission?" Asked Lilo.

"I'm going to set up the comms on the _Voyage_ and see if we can request some backup from Beacon. I know you students are very talented, but eight of you against possibly a full base of White Fang soldiers is not good odds, so I'm going to see who we can get to come out here," Sapphire said.

"Professor Maru will also function as command and control for the mission, if you find something you're not sure of, send it back to the _Voyage_ and we can pass it back to Beacon or see if she can solve the problem here," Mari said.

"Is everyone ready?" Leva asked, "We're coming up on the landing zone."

She wasn't wrong either, as moments later, everyone heard the sound of the ship landing gear settling on the ground.

"Alright, stealth team, let's go," Mari said, and with a flap of her poncho, the three man team set out.

Sapphire watched them all go, "Be careful you guys!" She called out. "Koa, Jas, watch each other's backs in there." She didn't need to see the thumbs up both sent her way, but it gave her faith they would figure it out.

* * *

It wasn't long until the stealth team reached the base, Mari then pointed to Koa, who nodded, making a ramp for the three to climb, which put them on the roof. Ducking behind some stacks, they saw three White Fang soldiers at different places on the roof.

Mari then spotted a vent, and directed Jasmine and Koa to it. Together, she and Koa removed the grate. Jasmine leapt in first, Mari went next, and Koa went third, putting the grate back with the help of his semblance once again.

"Stealth team to _Voyager_ , we're in," Mari said into her scroll commlink on her ear.

" _Well done_ ," Sapphire's voice came in to all three's ears, " _You're doing great so far_ , _we're monitoring your progress here, keep heading along that vent system, it'll end above the main door for the hangar,"_ She reported.

"Roger. We'll get heading in that direction, let us know if things change outside," Mari said, the comlink going dark.

* * *

All three pushed through the vents on their hands and knees, and it wasn't long until Jasmine stopped, and kicked out the vent. She, Mari and Koa then leapt out of the vent, coming face to face with several White Fang soldiers in a wide open environment.

"Well… it was bound to happen sooner or later…" Koa muttered, even as one Faunus yelled out in surprise.

"What the… Intruders!" She called out, pulling out a rifle.

"Get them!" Another ordered.

"Alright, how about a little contest, first one to reach the console to open the door gets a free round when we get back to Beacon," Mari chuckled, her poncho being pushed to the side, revealing a menacing looking revolver.

"I can accept that bet," Koa smiled back. Even in the face of mortal danger, he found himself cracking jokes. That smile instantly faded though when he saw that Jasmine was rushing towards the White Fang, her speed matching that of Ruby's Semblance, with gold shavings being left in her wake as she slammed her lance down on the first grunt.

"Jas!" Koa called out, sprinting after her, tossing his left Return to Sender out while the other's blade extended.

Mari would have chased after them, but a squad of White Fang was already charging her. Drawing the revolver at her hip, she fanned the hammer, seven powerful shots hitting the Fang soldiers, downing them instantly. She then twirled around a sword that tried to slash at her, then blocked it with the barrel of her gun.

Mari's revolver was called Sunshot. It looked like a mixture between a beefy hand cannon and a sleek revolver, which had a long barrel which was black with flecks of gold all along it. A blade was under the barrel at the tip.

Lashing out with a kick, she knocked her attacker off balance, firing at his face with a quick shot, then whirled around, Sunshot changing form into a dagger, the revolving chamber moving to become a small guard while the barrel took on a more serrated bladed appearance.

She blocked several swings from a man's sword, then cut back, the blade disabling what aura he had, she then pulled the trigger that was still near the handle, hitting the two soldiers taking aim at her from behind with heavy shots that slipped free from the flat sides of the blade.

"Die human!" She was then charged by a larger white fang man with a sledgehammer, to which she ducked under his swing, feeling the wind around the weapon sing as it barely brushed past her face. She then leapt up, kicking him twice with both legs, then kicked him into another two who were charging with swords.

She then turned, reverting her dagger to the revolver, firing twice with scary accuracy, two dust shots slamming into a pair of grunts attempting to strike at Koa, who nodded back.

Mari refocused on her own foes, noticing that they had surrounded her. All were armed with swords or guns and were poised to attack. Mari then took a deep breath and faded from view.

"What the?!" A soldier asked, before his head jerked sideways, Mari reappearing next to him with her fist extended. As they turned to face her new position, she vanished again, and reappeared, dagger in hand, stabbing at a pair of grunts, then, as the rest turned again, she leapt up over them, firing a full chamber of dust rounds down at her group of foes.

She then landed in a small crouch, before standing up and holstering Sunshot with a flourish and adjusting her hat, which had been knocked askew.

She glanced over to see that Jasmine and Koa were fine, Jasmine hitting a lieutenant with the tip of her lance, and Koa's boomerang clouting another LT in the back of the head before bouncing off, spinning around to return to Koa's awaiting hand.

"Do you ever miss?" She couldn't help but ask, as she approached them.

"Oh yeah, I just have good luck, that's all," Koa shrugged, holstering both of Return to Sender while Jasmine's lance retracted in on itself, and she put the handle and the base of Kitsune's Kickback on her back.

"I'll look for the door controls," Mari offered, letting Koa pull Jasmine aside.

"Jas, I know you want to make them pay, but you need to stop rushing in like that, you'll only get yourself killed!" Koa sighed. Jasmine pulled out her scroll and tapped away.

'I don't see why it's a problem, I have your semblance and Ruby's speed, so they can't touch me, and those monsters need to pay. I won't rest until they're all behind bars!' The scroll said, while she glared with defiance at him.

"Jasmine Diali." He frowned, causing her to flinch slightly. He never used her full name unless he was extremely disappointed with her. "As both your friend and team leader, I am asking that you reign it in, you need to start remembering that you really wanted to become a huntress to save lives and have adventures, but right now, you are behaving just like them!" He told her.

Jasmine gave a sigh, and tried to get a vocal sound to come from her mouth, but she couldn't make a peep. "I know, I will make the one who commanded these experiments on you pay, this 'Adam' that you remember hearing about." He pulled her into a warm hug, "But this isn't the way to get revenge."

Jasmine started sobbing silently in Koa's arms.

Mari smiled from where she had watched them at the controls, "Strike Team to _Imperial Voyage,_ we're in the hangar," She reported. "Door is opening now. See it Leva?" She asked.

 _"I see it, we're on approach,_ " Leva's voice came back, before Mari could hear the rumble of the engine closing.

She looked back over to Koa and Jasmine, "Oi, lovebirds! You might want to move before you get squished!" She called over.

Both broke from their embrace with indignant frowns at Mari, "We're not like that!" Koa barked back, but moved aside with Jasmine as the airship crawled into the hangar and settled down.

All hands disembarked, and pats on the back to Koa and Jasmine came from Reggie and Persia respectively, "You two didn't do half bad!" Reggie gave a smirk.

"Right, but now it's our turn," Persia nodded.

"Correct, but now the search and sweep begins. Team KOLD, your mission will be to investigate the science wing, take note of everything you can, when you find an operational terminal, upload a drive and take every document from their systems. Team MPRL, you're doing the same, but in the command wing. Meanwhile, Mr Stone, Miss Midnight, we shall defend the ship," Sapphire said.

"Understood, also, I shall leave Snowfall with you guys, she can relay messages directly to Lilo, which will be easier than scroll comms, we can then send stuff back through the scrolls," Koa said.

"Nice idea, you hear that Snowy? You're playing defence this time. Shadow, you'll be our forward scout," Lilo gave a thumbs up. Both wolves barked with reply.

"Wish we had a cool canine companion like that, Reggie will work just fine though," Mari said.

"Well, I'm sorry for not being a wolf," Reggie replied.

"Alright guys, good luck," Sapphire reminded them. Both teams took off into the hallways at speed.

Things were just getting started.

* * *

 **Koa: So far so good.**

 **Lilo: Not bad, I see you followed the rule of season 1, whenever a new character was introduced, they always got some extended screen time to show what they could do.**

 **Onyx: Which means that the rest of Team MPRL will get their turns soon also, and so will your mother.**

 **Koa: Yeah, she's gonna impress, mom trained me in most of my hand to hand skills, she's a great teacher and an even better fighter.**

 **Marcus: I pity whoever she faces then.**

 **Koa: Whoa, what the?! Who are you?**

 **Marcus: The author, who else? But believe me, everyone will get their chance to shine before the mission is over.**

 **All: Next time: Hands On Experience!**


	15. Chapter 15: Hands on Experience

**First off, a happy 4th of July to all my friends and viewers from America, secondly, I'm not dead! It's time we got back to the writing, and I'll be trying to be more frequent with the updates. Hope you enjoy the chapter and feel free to leave your thoughts.**

* * *

 **Chapter 15: Hands on Experience**

 **Title Song: Reparation - RvB Season 13 Soundtrack**

* * *

Sprinting with care down the corridor, Koa was prepared for anything, "Corridor to the left, a squad of guards," Lilo said. With that said, Koa tossed a boomerang, which curved around the corner, and a cry was suddenly heard.

Lilo was next to go round the corner, claws digging into the wall, and she then sheathed them to slam an armoured fist into a White Fang Soldier. She then drew her claws again, slashing at the two adjacent men. The last soldier was about to slash at her, but suddenly was clubbed in the head by Jasmine's gunlance.

"No time to hide them, press on!" Koa called, catching the bouncing boomerang as it came back their way.

"Things look clear until we reach the next corridor, full unit in play ahead," Lilo said.

Koa didn't question her intel, it had been sound up until now. He pulled out his scroll, "Science wing control center is just past them, come on," He said. The three students dashed on.

A blue barrier formed, and Lilo and Jasmine took positions, firing their weapons at the White Fang position, who returned fire with rifles and pistols. Koa silently counted down on his fingers, before the group broke formation, charging.

Koa blocked several bullets with some quick reflections of his boomerangs, then released the bladed edges, which cut through the flimsy aura of the White Fang members with ease. He slashed at one soldier, then kicked his unconscious body into his comrade, he then tossed a boomerang, which bounced in the corridor, clubbing two men in the head before returning to his hand.

Lilo burst forward with a jolt, firing her wrist guns that cut down several, which she then slashed at them with the claws on her knuckles. She then sent a mental command, and Shadow leaped free from one of the White Fang's shadows, claws ripping at another, fangs showing.

Jasmine then leapt forwards, taking Kitsune's Kickback and swiping it horizontally, letting out a salvo of shells that caused the White Fang remaining soldiers to scatter, which Jasmine then descending upon them, bashing three men with a single heavy swing. She then whirled it over her shoulder, jabbing it into the gut of one more soldier.

She yelped, as suddenly a soldier attempted to slash at her with her sword, but a sudden boot connected with her face. Koa grunted, collecting his boomerang. "Scum. Don't you dare touch her. Never again."

With the battle ended, the trio of students regrouped, and then pressed on.

* * *

"How's that door?" Mari asked, whipping out of cover to fire at the White Fang.

"Working on it!" Reggie said, tapping away at his scroll.

Persia whirled back from attempting to fire, "Work faster! I'll buy you some time!" She called, and broke cover, charging forwards, firing three shots from her arm mounted cannon, which was attached to her right gauntlet. Dust blasts spat free, disabling two guards and hitting a third.

Persia's weapon was a large gauntlet mounted arm-cannon, called Midnight Fusion, that could hold different dust types, and the girl suddenly clenched her fists, causing a large katar-like blade to extend, which she used to cut down the survivor of her initial attack.

She was quick to pounce upon the next group, her blade singing as she slashed through the thin aura of the guards. She then saw another squad approaching, and sighed, with a twist of the wrist, the inner mechanisms of the weapon spun shortly and the blade sheathed. She then fired, and a blue dust round shot free, which impacted on the ground in front of the leading soldier, which exploded, ice forming instantly.

With a sigh, she lowered her arm, which let it power down automatically. Persia turned back to Mari and Reggie, the later who gave a thumbs up, the door opening. "Ok MPR, let's move!" Mari called out, whirling through the door, hitting a lone guard with a single shot from Sunshot.

Reggie pulled out his weapon, and vanished in a purple flash, reappearing next to a grunt and slammed the head of it into him.

Reggie's weapon was a simple wrench that he called the Eureka Effect, it was a red hilted tool with a silver head, on the top was a pattern which was the atomic symbol, which was his own emblem. He then pointed it at the next soldier, and fired a jolt of lightning that incapacitated him instantly.

Reggie then was suddenly next to another White Fang, jabbing the head, sparking with electricity right into his gut. He then tossed the wrench, and it hit another man, and Reggie was suddenly there to retrieve the weapon again. He panted, and blocked bullets with a flourish of Eureka Effect, before releasing a charged bolt that blasted three soldiers into the wall.

"Reggie, get back!" Mari called out, blasting two soldiers coming from behind them.

Persia then fired an ice blast at their feet, and touched it, manipulating it into cover around the three second years with her semblance. "We gotta beat these goons then get back on track!" She called, firing a fiery blast at several White Fang.

* * *

A sudden explosion burst open the doors to the science wing, Jasmine was first into the room, her weapon on her back as she charged with a replica of Koa's Hardlight melded into a shield. Bull rushing into one man, she then drew her weapon, firing three shells that hit two more. She then burst forwards with Ruby's speed, surprising two men that tried to hit her with their axes, sweeping them off their feet.

Behind her, Koa's boomerang lanced into the room, bumping into a scientist's head, then bouncing into a soldier's back. Koa caught the weapon, then tossed it's twin, while drawing the blade of his other one, he slashed three times, knocking out one man, then leapt off his body, kicking another man in the head. At this time, the airborne Return to Sender bonked a man aiming at Lilo's back.

At the same time, Lilo burst into the room, her wrist weapons popping off rapid flurries of rounds that caused several White Fang to keel over, then she stopped, drawing the claws and slashing at another man that had attempted to stab at Jasmine. Shadow then burst from her silhouette, growling as he changed into a ghostly form, ripping into two more men that tried to attack Koa.

A moment later, Koa caught both boomerangs, holstering them as Jasmine collapsed Kitsune's Kickback, and Lilo retracted Metal Wolf Claws with a SHINK! "Ok, Jas, use my semblance to sweep up these guys, Lilo, check these computers with me. Shadow, you watch our six," Koa said, sitting into one of the chairs and booting up one of the screens.

"This moron forgot to lock his monitor, I've got access to everything in here," He said, eyes flicking through each file, before coming up to one called Project: KITSUNE. His eyes widened when he saw the name and picture attached to it, and plugged in a drive.

"Look at this," Lilo called him over. "Files on all sorts of Humans and Faunus alike, Chief Ghira will love to see these Faunus reports," She muttered. "There's also detailed reports from multiple officers of the White Fang."

"And Ozpin will want to see this one," Koa said, his eyes narrowing. He pointed to a screen. "Blake Belladonna." He passed his drive to her, and she copied the entire database to the drive, then erased the original.

Done with cleaning the floor, Jas came over, and her eyes locked onto a name and pointed it to Koa.

"Adam Taurus… your kidnapper," Koa growled.

"This base will self-destruct in ten minutes, all personnel are advised to evacuate immediately," An automated voice said.

"Guys?" Koa raised his scroll, Mari's name was on the screen. "We got a problem, we've encountered some big shot of the White Fang, and he's set the power generator to blow! We got ten minutes!"

"Acknowledged, we're done in the science wing and are on our way back," Koa said.

"You'll have to find another way out, the corridor you took collapsed!" Onyx spoke up.

"Damn it," Lilo muttered.

"I've looked at the schematics, looks like some kind of vehicle hangar next door to the science wing. MPR, you get back here, KLD, you get some land vehicle and get out of there," Sapphire spoke up.

"Roger!" All voices replied.

* * *

As the first years were breaking into the science wing, Mari, Persia and Reggie walked into the command centre. There was a man in black, with black and red hair with a pair of small horns poking through. His eyes were covered in a modified grimm mask, and as they entered the room, he stabbed the controls with a menacing katana.

"It seems we have some nosy trespassers," He said, turning to face them, holding the sheathe of his sword, which Mari noted had a barrel.

"Identify yourself," Mari said calmly, but took her gunslinger stance.

"Who I am is none of your concern, all that matters is that you will not live to see tomorrow," He said, sheathing his sword, then taking a stance.

"Get ready…" Mari said to her team.

The bull Faunus fired the katana from the barrel, and it shot forwards. Reggie took the chance to blink forwards, catching the black garbed man off guard, and attempted to jab Eureka Effect into the man's solar plexus. The man however swept Reggie's legs, and kicked him into a chair, which wheeled backwards.

Mari blocked the sword, which was caught by the man, slashing at the leader, but Persia's blade was there, and the cat Faunus deflected several blows from the katana. At this moment, Mari's dagger formed Sunshot intervened, and she used the smaller blade to catch a swing from the man, then fired the gun inside.

The man leapt back, avoiding the shot, then sheathed his sword, firing it again, then leaping and kicking it into a spinning blade, which ripped at Mari's aura, until Persia stepped in and swatted it aside with her own wrist sword.

As the man recovered his sword, Persia and Reggie checked their leader. "I'm ok, it bounced off my aura," She looked ok, but her voice was shaky.

"This base will self-destruct in ten minutes, all personnel are advised to evacuate immediately," An automated voice said from behind the man.

"And that's my cue, we'll meet again, humans and traitor," The man said, before dashing through a side door.

"Reggie! The controls!" Mari commanded.

"No good boss, already checked, it's fried," Reggie said.

Mari raised her scroll. "Guys?" We got a problem, we've encountered some big shot of the White Fang, and he's set the power generator to blow! We got ten minutes!"

"Acknowledged, we're done in the science wing and are on our way back," Koa said.

"You'll have to find another way out, the corridor you took collapsed!" Onyx spoke up.

"Damn it," Lilo muttered.

"I've looked at the schematics, looks like a vehicle bay next door to the science wing. MPR, you get back here, KLD, you get some land vehicle and get out of there," Sapphire spoke up.

"Roger!" All voices replied.

"Double time it to the hangar MPR, let's move," Mari called, folding up her scroll.

* * *

Folding up his scroll, Onyx looked back at Sapphire and Leva, "Since an evacuation call has been made, we need to make sure our ride doesn't get taken," Sapphire said.

As if her words were a summoning ritual, the door from the command wing opened, and a full squad of White Fang ran in. "Get the humans! Steal their transport!" One ordered, she was holding a pair of hatchets, which Onyx made her to be a Lieutenant.

"Professor?" Leva asked, pulling her weapon from her back. Onyx noted it to be a circle of some sort, that extended several petal-like protrusions, forming a buckler of sorts.

"It's heartless, but it's us or them, don't let them past us," Sapphire said. Onyx looked at her weapon, which was a white and blue spear with a coil just behind the tip.

"Understood," Onyx nodded. With that, he took a knee with Obsidian Rage, firing the slugs from the head of the axe, taking out a line of grunts with quick shots.

At the same time, Leva threw her buckler, and it hit another grunt, Leva then pulled back, and a chord retracted, pulling the shield back to her. She then pressed a button on the back of the shield, and a small nozzle appeared at the centre of the buckler.

"Alright… who wants to play with fire!" She yelled, a roaring torrent of flames bursting free.

Onyx chuckled at the red head's eccentric battle style, then glanced at Sapphire, who was spinning her spear in a defensive way, blocking a barrage of bullets, then stopping and leaping into the air. The tip of the spear then opened, and a blast of lightning slammed into the middle of the White Fang ranks. She then came down to block the two hatchets from the LT Faunus woman.

"Dumb human, our base was fine until you and your nosy huntsman friend had to butt in!" She growled.

"With the way you treat Humans and Faunus that don't want to join your cult, I think we earned the right to be nosy a long time ago," Sapphire said. She leapt back, then tossed the spear at the LT, who blocked it, but Sapphire caught the spear and tossed it into a spin, the weapon bouncing off her stomach and back into the professional huntress' awaiting hand.

Onyx glanced away from Mrs Maru's performance and bolstered his arm, just in time to catch a sword with the flat of his hand, he then yanked it away, while jabbing the blunt of his own weapon into the man's stomach. He then tossed the sword, which a woman avoided, but not the flat side of Onyx's axe. He then twisted a dial on the hilt, and the gun barrel muzzle rotated. He fired, the knockback giving his axe rocket speeds as he slammed it into two more grunts that tried to get past.

He turned to Snowfall, the white wolf barrelling into a pair of legs, knocking over a White Fang soldier, then she froze his arms and legs to the ground. She then howled, the collar around her neck shimmering, before she stomped with her front paws, icy spikes fountaining out before her, incapacitating several White Fang, either with spikes directly impacting them, or the following explosions of ice knocking them off their feet.

Leva's buckler had paused in the fiery blast, and she was giving a grin, the flames swirling back to encase her fist. "What the… you should be writhing in agony!" The nearest White Fang spluttered.

"Not if my semblance controls fire, oh wait… did I not tell you that?" She asked, then punched him with said flaming fist.

She then bashed her buckler into the same guy, and threw it again, the flames dancing along the outside of the shield's petals.

Leva's weapon was called Phoenix's Guard, and it was a simple design of a shield with thin-as-blade extensions around the centre buckler, which just so happened to house a flamethrower, powered by fire dust.

Taking the flames on her fist, she released them in the direction of a swarm of White Fang, all retreating as the fire burned away, threatening to burn them alive. Leva threw her shield, then yanked right, the shield bouncing off another man, and then hit a woman in the back of the head.

She wasn't done, pulling the shield back to her, she then kicked it out again, pressing the grip she was holding onto. This sent a signal, and flames roared from the buckler as it flew through the ranks, sending the White Fang flying with the pressure from the blasts.

Leva then gained control of all the flames and held it into a fireball above her head. "Who's next?" She asked. The White Fang grunts glanced at each other, not wanting to be the one to challenge her.

"Leva!" The red-head turned, seeing Mari burst into the hangar, "Steam Grenade!" She called out. Persia was raising her cannon and fired an icy blast. Leva tossed the fireball, and it impacted with the large glob of ice. Steam burst out, covering the hangar.

"MPRL, Onyx! We're leaving!" Sapphire called. She was holding her spear like a rifle, firing lightning blasts from the tesla coil.

"Right! Leva, fire up the ship, we're meeting KLD outside!" Mari called. Leva nodded, leaping up to the ship with Reggie, the two teammates making the ship ready to fly.

A moment later, the ship sailed cleanly from the hangar, and not a moment too soon, as the facility was completely engulfed in flames as an explosion ripped it apart.

"Koa!" Sapphire was on her scroll. "Jasmine, Lilo, are you there?!" Her voice was getting desperate.

"Yo professor, I see them, a six-wheeled truck below," Mari called out.

"Mom, one thing I'm glad about… is that those driving lessons you and dad gave me really helped," Koa's voice came through Sapphire's scroll.

Landing the ship, Sapphire and Onyx leapt off first, and greeted the three students and Shadow dismounting a six wheeled truck. Koa and Lilo were in the front, while Jasmine appeared from a hatch on top, right next to a large twin barreled auto-cannon. Shadow ran down a ramp that popped open at the back.

"Looks like it was stolen from an Atlas Convoy and modified, can we keep it?" Koa asked.

"Well… it's not forbidden for first years to have vehicles, Ozpin and Ironwood will get the final say, we can clamp it to the underside of the _Voyage_ for now," Sapphire sighed. "If it was up to me, I would be ok registering this as Koa's own vehicle, not sure of it's road laws, but again, we'll check with Ozpin when we get back."

Koa shared a grin with his teammates, Snowfall and Shadow giving toothy grins of their own, as they shrunk down to adorable chibi versions. "Whoa, looks like it's bedtime for you two," Lilo said, picking both up.

"Is that normal?" Koa asked.

"When they're not in combat or tired, they can choose to become this form, we've just kept them in combat form at school because they're not gotten much full-scale action lately," Lilo explained.

"Well, I for one want to get back and have a nice shower, that big shot from earlier gave us a real scare, almost broke Mari's aura," Persia said.

"Big shot? What'd he look like?" Asked Sapphire.

"Black and red hair, bull Faunus, black clothing and his unique mask, fought with a katana and shotgun sheath," Reggie reported.

"What?!" Koa asked. He was suddenly very attentive, as was Jasmine. "Adam Taurus was HERE?!"

Sapphire pulled Jasmine into a hug. "This will have to be brought up in the debrief, we'll go over it later. For now, everyone get some sleep, we've had a long day, leave flying to me. I'll wake you when we're almost home," She said.

Koa gave his mother a defiant look, clearly wanting to keep going, but he relented, taking Jasmine to the truck. "We're gonna crash in here," He said, guiding Jasmine inside, before entering it himself.

Sapphire turned to MPRL and Onyx and Lilo. "The man you three fought is the one responsible for Jasmine's frailty and her muteness. He's extremely dangerous, I barely escaped with my life when he attacked our village all those years ago…" She pointed to a scar on her upper chest. "He left me with this parting gift."

"Good thing he was just buying time for that self-destruction then. I'd be quite happy stopping petty criminals and grimm attacks, no more fighting him again please," Mari said. "Thanks for the save Persia," She smiled to her partner.

"Anytime, anywhere," The cat faunus smiled.

Onyx and Lilo headed over and got in the truck, Leva positioned the _Imperial Voyage_ above the new acquisition, and a clamp extended. "Ok, I've seen fliers able to carry this sort of thing before, never flown one."

"I have," Sapphire smiled. "Let me bring us home."

* * *

From one of the hills behind them, Adam Taurus watched them go. _Pests. The lot of them. Next time I meet those kids, I'll kill them._

* * *

 **Koa: And we're back!**

 **Onyx: And we have a new toy. I wonder what we'll do to make it more homely.**

 **Lilo: I don't care, as long as I can fire that gun!**

 **Jasmine: 'Hey! I saw it first Lilo!'**

 **All: Next time: Trust Issues**


	16. Chapter 16: Trust Issues

**What's this? Two updates on two different stories in one hour? This is unheard of! Well, either way, this chapter will show some of the tension and morals of Team KOLD compared to their friends in Team RWBY. Hope you're ready for an adventure, because we're almost at the end of season 1!**

* * *

 **Chapter 16: Trust Issues  
**

 **Title Song: In Your Past (Sword Art Online OST)**

* * *

That evening, Team KOLD and Team MPRL stood before Professors Ozpin and Goodwitch. Sapphire stood between them. "While it's a shame about our fallen comrade, the information you acquired is invaluable, I shall send the data to my fellow headmasters," Ozpin said calmly, one eye flickering through the data, and the other checking on his students.

Lilo raised a hand, "Sir. I'd like to ask that this data gets sent to Chieftain Ghira and my brother in Menagerie, they might find this information more than useful," She said.

"Of course, Miss Fuchsia, I shall send this data to them," Ozpin nodded. "Chieftain Belladonna and Captain Fuchsia are our allies and we will always help them with their oppressive problems."

"That's all I ask, I know that Ivor will find the White Fang roster to be rather useful in rooting out the spies," Lilo smiled.

"Will that be all Professor?" Sapphire asked. "I'm sure these students would like nothing more than to curl up and sleep in."

"We shall pardon them from classes tomorrow, Team KOLD, I would like to talk to you again tomorrow, once you've rested up," Ozpin nodded.

"Of course, Professor. We will be here once we're all up and about, I apologise if we're a bit late getting back to you," Koa nodded.

"In that case, both of you are dismissed after one final note. The mission you have done over the weekend was not an easy one. You fought trained killers with limited training, and I am beyond relieved to see that you all survived and returned to us with no injuries to note. Later this year, we assign teams to shadow huntsmen and huntresses in the field, and this mission has given you experience that would mirror those missions, therefore you won't need to take another mission this year," Ozpin told them. "Be proud of yourselves. Team KOLD, Team MPRL, goodnight."

The two teams bowed slightly in respect and left the office. When they got back to the dorms, they stopped at the stairs that the second-year team would take.

"Well, it was a pleasure seeing ya in action. I definitely would feel safe knowing that you guys have my back," Mari said, shaking Koa's hand.

"Likewise, we'd be happy to fight by your side, anytime, anywhere," Koa nodded.

"Hopefully you won't have too much crazy until you graduate, but then again, this is Beacon, crazy always seems to find us," Persia said, fist bumping with Lilo.

"You're welcome to join the wolf pack anytime kitty cat," Lilo smirked.

"Give us a call if you ever need help with school work or life work, we'll see how we can help," Reggie said, handing a card to Onyx, "This card has all our scroll numbers on it."

"We'll remember that, thanks," Onyx said. "Likewise, we'll help if we can if you need us."

"And I hope you manage to find your voice again kid, I know a Psychologist in Vale that does a good job with PTSD and the like, if anyone can help you, it's her," Leva said, she gave Jasmine a card also, with an address and a number.

"We'll promise to investigate it once we've got some time," Koa said, as Jasmine held onto the card. "And again, thanks for the adventure, we'll be sure to take the experience and continue to evolve."

With that, the second year headed up the stairs, and KOLD headed back to their dorm. As they did, Blake suddenly burst from the room, running past the team with eyes leaking tears.

"Blake?!" Koa asked. "Lilo, go…!" He never got to make a command, as Jasmine patted him on the arm, before running after her instead. "Jasmine?!" He asked.

"Want me to go bring her back?" Lilo asked.

"… No. I want to hear this from the others first," Koa said, knocking on Team RWBY's door. Finding it still open, he, Lilo and Onyx entered the room.

"Any reason why we saw Blake dart out the room?" Lilo asked.

"Well…" Ruby didn't seem to know how to say it, but Weiss did… bluntly.

"You heard what she said Ruby, 'We were just tired of being pushed around'," Weiss said. "She's a member of the White Fang! Ugh! I can't believe I was starting to trust her!"

"Hold on… What started this?" Koa asked, already suspecting who.

Ruby and Yang glanced at each other, before pointing at Weiss, they took turns explaining what happened earlier in the day.

By the end of it, Koa and Lilo were close to seething. Koa started advancing on Weiss. "I _warned_ you what would happen if I heard that you were being racist."

"Hold on… where's Jasmine?" Asked Yang.

"She insisted on chasing after Blake. Dunno why," Onyx said.

"I bet she's a…" Suddenly a blue circle of hardlight phased around her neck.

"Finish that sentence. I. DARE. YOU!" Koa roared. Lilo's claws were out, ready to tear the Schnee asunder.

"Whoa! Let's use words, not threats!" Yang called out.

Koa kept giving the heiress a glare, before sighing, dispelling the constriction around her neck. "Maybe it's time I told you more about her. At least… what she's told me… let's see your opinion of Faunus change, after I tell you what I know."

* * *

Meanwhile, downstairs in the courtyard, Blake finally stopped running, before she reached up and removed the black bow, the one that covered her ears.

"I knew you'd look better without the bow," Jasmine heard someone say, as she approached the statue. "And who's your friend?" He asked.

"Huh? Jasmine?" Blake asked, once she turned to face the girl. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

 _"Five years ago, you saved my life. Now, I want to do my best to return the favour_ …" Jasmine smiled, pulling a ribbon from her tails.

A monkey Faunus jumped down, and blinked. "Uhh… am I missing something… or do you have _nine_ tails?" He asked, as for the first time since she arrived at Beacon, Jasmine showed her unique trait to another person.

 _"We'll explain later,"_ Jasmine's scroll said, causing the monkey to nod.

The three Faunus left the school grounds, heading to a hotel in Vale for the night.

* * *

Meanwhile, Koa got started on his story. "Even back in Melodious, Jasmine was… unique, there weren't many Faunus, but those that did live there lived normally with humans. I was a loner back home, kept to myself really. I would go to the park when it was quiet and play with a ball or my boomerang, when one day, I met Jasmine."

Ruby and Lilo were the first to think of what a kid Jasmine looked like. Tiny ears poking through her hair, and a short but fluffy tail. "Aww… She must have been so cute!" Ruby smiled.

"That she was. That she was," Koa nodded with a faint smile of his own. "I have a picture of the day we met on the mantle at home. Anyway, she didn't even know my name, and asked, 'That thing looks like fun. Can I play?'. How could I refuse, I hadn't had a proper friend until then, but she just had this… inviting aura around her that pulled me in. And then she invited me to dinner!"

"Her mother Amber was a pharmacist, her dad Ash was chief of the village guard, and she had two older siblings, a brother and sister called Garnet and Lapis. Both were huntsmen, and were home from a mission."

"You keep saying 'was' and 'had'… I'm afraid to ask but…" Yang began, but trailed off.

"Fast forward a few months, me and Jasmine were at the park, playing boomerang. It was her birthday, and her family had asked me to distract her while they set up the house," He winced.

"And that's when they came. The White Fang attacked our village. Luckily, Mom and Jasmine's siblings were back from work, and fought against the fodder, but there were too many. A man took Jasmine, right before my eyes, and then forced her to watch as he cut Garnet and Lapis in half, and had a man with a chainsaw gut her parents. I watched all this from a trash can, and my mom did her best to save Jas… but they got away…"

"I don't know what happened while she was captured. But it wasn't until six years later that I was about to head out to look for her again, when I open the door to find her collapsed on the doorstep, with not one, but _nine_ tails. On top of that, I could never hear her lovely sweet voice again. Because she had PTVD," Koa finished his story.

Ruby was holding onto Snowfall with sadness, and Lilo was holding Shadow. Yang was gripping her fist, and Weiss was mortified. Onyx put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "She didn't have to go through that. But this monster called Adam Taurus didn't care much for the age of his test subjects. She had just turned four years old!"

"Weiss… I don't think Jasmine is a member of the White Fang. How could she?" Yang asked.

Weiss herself was looking very pale. "I… I didn't expect her to have gone through so much…" She looked down at her feet. "It seems that those monsters didn't care, even for their own kind…"

"I guessed she was hiding something… oh Jas… why didn't you tell me…" Ruby sighed.

"I think it might be because it's not exactly something you share as an opening to a conversation. 'Hi, I got kidnapped and experimented on by the White Fang for six years', what's your story?'" Onyx pointed out.

"Alright, you've helped defend Jasmine, but what about Blake? She ran," Weiss asked. "The innocent never run."

"All I'm saying is that you wait until you hear her side of the story before jumping to conclusions. You never judge a book by it's cover, and people are the same," Koa told her. "Team KOL, let's get back to our dorm. We'll look for Jasmine and Blake tomorrow."

"You got it boss," Lilo nodded, giving Weiss a tiny glare before heading out the door. Onyx followed wordlessly.

* * *

Jasmine walked into the room that Blake had rented out for her, sighing at the fact the cat Faunus had not spoken to them once since they left Beacon.

She pulled out her scroll and noticed concerned messages in the Team KOLD chat group, as well as one from Ruby.

 _Hope you're ok, how's Blake?_ – Koa

 _Let us know if you need help with her, I can tell she's had a rough time_ – Lilo

 _Don't do anything reckless_ – Onyx

 _Hey, Weiss kinda caused Koa to blow up and tell us what happened to you, and I'm sorry you had to go through all that. Let me know if you wanna talk. You know, for what it's worth, I'm glad you're at Beacon with me. Even one friend from Signal is better than none, I hope you feel the same_ – Ruby

Jasmine smiled, at least her friends were being supportive. Replying to all, she put her scroll down, before heading over to Blake's room and knocked. The cat Faunus answered the door, letting her in. Jasmine noticed she had been staring at the ribbon that she used to hide her ears.

 _"Feeling a little better?"_ She asked through her scroll.

"Glad you're here, you and Sun are good company, unlike someone…" Blake smiled. Her eyes drifted to the nine tails flowing behind Jasmine and faltered. "I'm sorry," She sniffed, taking the younger Faunus into a hug. "You shouldn't have had to put up with that, you should have been growing up back in your village and had a normal life. Instead, you can't speak, and doomed to forever be laughed at by anti-faunus people like Cardin or the Schnees."

Jasmine just sat there, allowing Blake to get her regrets off her chest. _"It's ok. I would have enrolled for Huntress training anyway, this just gives a unique element to how I live. And I don't mind the tails, I feel like one of those foxes from Mistralian lore."_ Her scroll told for her.

Blake couldn't help but chuckle at that. "I'm a little jealous of you, you know. Six years of absolute hell, and you still manage to get by. I know I wouldn't recover as quickly as you. I know Adam was the source of your torture, but he was my partner for a while. I should have been able to stop him, but I couldn't do anything. Not until I saw you for myself, when you asked for help, I knew that I would have to get you out of there," She smiled.

 _"Blake, I don't hold you responsible for Adam. He's insane. You know that, besides, it was that experience which made me unlock my semblance, as well as be the conduit to me making Kitsune's Kickback,"_ Jasmine smiled, as her scroll droned out the words.

Blake sighed with her own smile. "I suppose you're right," She said.

* * *

A few days later, the three Faunus sat down at in a café outside, Sun was holding a cup of tea with his tail while Jasmine sipped some hot chocolate and Blake put down her own cup. "So… you wish to know more about me…" The cat Faunus said.

"Finally she speaks!" Sun cheered, "For the last two days you haven't said anything other than small talk and weird looks!" At this comment, Blake gave him a pointed looked. "See, like that!" At this, she just rolled her eyes.

"Sun, are you familiar with the White Fang?" Blake asked.

"More like who hasn't heard of them? Stupid 'holier-than-thou' creeps who use force to get what they want. Bunch of freaks if you ask me," Sun's reply got him a thumbs up from Jasmine.

"Well… I was once a member of the White Fang," Blake sighed.

Mid-drink, Sun began to choke, but Jasmine pat him on the back. Once he could speak, " _YOU_ were a member of the White Fang?" He echoed.

"I was a member most of my life, you could say I was born into it," Blake said, closing her eyes as she recounted her tale. "Back then, things were different, in the ashes of war, the White Fang was meant to be a symbol of peace and unity between the humans and the Faunus.

"Of course, despite being promised equality, the Faunus were subjected to discrimination and hate. Humans still thought of us as lesser beings, and so the White Fang rose up as a voice of our people.

"And I was there, I was at the front of every rally, took part in every boycott, and I actually thought we were making a difference.

"Then about five years ago, our leader stepped down, and a new one took his place, a new leader… with a new way of thinking. Suddenly our peaceful protests were being replaced with organised attacks, we were setting fire to shops that refused to serve us, hijacking cargo from companies that used Faunus labour.

"And the worse part was… it was working, we were being treated like equals, but not out of respect… out of fear." Blake put down her cup. "Jasmine here was the turning point, when I found we were kidnapping our own kind and using them as experiments, I left. I decided I no longer wanted to use my skills to aid in their violence. Instead, I would use those skills and dedicate my life to becoming a huntress."

 _"So now you hide in plain sight, thanks to that little black bow,"_ Jasmine said with her scroll.

"So…" Sun started, but he was quieter than before, "Have you told your friends any of this?"

"The only one that could have the slightest idea was Jasmine, as I let her go when I met her," Blake sighed. "And the others…" She trailed off.

* * *

Across town, Koa, Onyx and Lilo were walking down the street with Snowfall and Shadow trotting aside them. "Shouldn't we be helping Ruby find Blake?" Onyx asked.

"Oh we are, but I have not been impressed with Weiss lately. Until she stops acting like a child, I refuse to be near her," Koa frowned.

"Racist brat, just because she has had a bad life because of the White Fang, doesn't mean she can be mean to every Faunus she meets," Lilo grumbled.

"Come on… don't you two think you're overreacting, I can kinda understand her position. Faunus have given her family endless problems for years. Then again, it might have something to do with the fact they use Faunus in their dust mines," Onyx shrugged.

* * *

Meanwhile, "So what's your plan to see if the White Fang were behind all the dust thefts?" Sun asked as he, Blake and Jasmine walked down another street.

"Well… I guess the first thing to do would be to figure out where the thieves will strike next," Blake mused.

"Well, when I was on the ship, I heard the crew talking about unloading a huge shipment of dust," Sun suggested.

"Really? How big?" Blake asked.

"Really huge, _big_ Schnee Dust Company container," Sun pointed out.

'Sounds like a good idea to me. To the docks then?' Jasmine asked through her scroll. Blake nodded, determination etched on her face.

* * *

 **Lilo: Looks like things are picking up for Blake, what happens next boss?**

 **Koa: Sorry, all I can do is give you a hint through the title of the next chapter.**

 **Onyx: Then give us a clue, so we can find out together.**

 **All: Next time: Facing Demons!**


	17. Chapter 17: Facing Demons

**Whoo boy, been looking forward to this chapter, and I think you will too. Either way, expect a lot of action in this chapter. As always, remember to enjoy and leave your opinion in a review, I always enjoy seeing what you guys have to say about the story.**

* * *

 **Chapter 17: Facing Demons**

 **Title Song: Heartful Cry - Persona 3 OST**

* * *

Jasmine and Blake were crouched on the roof of a warehouse, looking out at a large shipping container with the Schnee Dust Company logo on the side. Sun then came up and crouched beside Blake. "Anything happen yet?" He asked.

"Nothing, but I'm willing to stakeout all night if I have to," Blake said.

"I stole you some food," Sun offered some apples. Jasmine pouted at him as he did, stealing was wrong.

"Do you always break the law without a second thought?" Blake asked.

"Hey, weren't you part of a cult?" Sun shot back. He instantly regretted it when she glared at him. "Sorry, too soon."

Jasmine smiled at the weird interaction between her temporary teammates. She then flattened herself when her ears picked up the roar of an engine.

A _bullhead-_ class VTOL dropship flew overhead, before beginning to land. The doors opened and out walked the armed, white armoured and masked troopers of the White Fang.

"Oh no…" Blake sighed.

"Is that them?" Sun asked, he didn't see Jasmine tense up.

"Yes… It's them…" Blake muttered.

"You really didn't think they were behind it, did you?" Sun asked.

"I think deep down… I knew, I just didn't want to be right," Blake sighed.

"Hey! What's the hold up?!" All three Faunus looked down, seeing a differently dressed individual. "We're not exactly the most inconspicuous bunch of thieves at the moment, so why don't you animals pick up the pace?"

" _Roman Torchwick? What's he doing here?"_ Jasmine asked with her scroll.

"I don't know… but the White Fang would never take orders from a human, especially one like him," Blake drew the sword for Gambol Shroud, standing up.

"What are you doing?" Sun asked.

Blake didn't answer, jumping down and running towards the maze of containers. Sun and Jasmine shared a look, Jasmine pulling out Kitsune's Kickback. _It's not exactly Ruby's scythe, but I can work with sniping with you,_ she thought.

A second later, Blake had her sword around Torchwick's neck. She then removed her ribbon, "Brothers and sisters of the White Fang, why are you aiding this scum?" She asked, appalled.

Blake and Torchwick traded some words that neither Sun or Jasmine could hear, but something Roman said made Blake look up. More engines were heard, and three more _Bullheads_ were approaching. While Blake was distracted, an explosion suddenly blasted out from Roman's cane.

* * *

Not far, Koa looked up from his scroll, having split up from Lilo and Onyx to cover more ground. As he did, he noticed the explosion and smoke coming from the direction of the docks. "Jas?" He asked. He called the team. "You guys see that?" He asked, starting to run towards the action.

 _"I sent Shadow ahead to get intel, I'm on my way,"_ Lilo said.

 _"I'm also heading over, I'm on the other side of the city though, so I might be some time,"_ Onyx added.

"Copy, I'll get over there now, I'm probably closest to the docks," Koa said.

 _"Good luck Koa,"_ Both his teammates said, causing their leader to smile.

He channelled his semblance to his feet, acting like springs pushing him to the rooftops, which he continued to do, bouncing across buildings and using his hardlight to make his way towards the massive plume of smoke. _Jas… be careful…_

* * *

Jasmine fired a shot at some White Fang, the ground under their feet getting ripped up by her explosive fire. "You wanna keep trying that, I'll go help Blake," Sun said. Jasmine gave him a thumbs up, aiming and firing at another goon. She noticed a bullhead fly overhead, dropping a handful of grunts. She was about to get up, when a heavy boomerang clunked between the heads of all three, landing in her best friend's hand.

"Jas!" She didn't need to turn to hear Koa slide up next to her. "What's going on?" His eyes then dropped to the battle below.

Jasmine tapped out a short message, _"Torchwick leading White Fang, Blake vs Torchwick, Sun is helping,"_ She fired another shot, then pulled a small catch back on the side of Kitsune's Kickback, opening a gap, which ejected an empty cartridge. She then put a replacement inside and reset the catch.

Koa nodded. He and Jasmine then noticed another bullhead fly overhead, and White Fang dropped from the bay onto the warehouse roof. They then heard a guttural motor splutter to life, before roaring. Both glanced at each other, eyes widening.

"No…" Koa said with a gasp. A White Fang soldier, larger than the others, dropped to land before the two students. "It can't be…"

The soldier raised his weapon of choice. "The one who took part in the attack…"

The faunus chuckled. "What do we have here? A traitor and a filthy human," He said, turning off his chainsaw and hefting it onto his shoulder.

Koa bravely stood before Jasmine, who was shaking like a leaf. "I remember you," He said, drawing Return to Sender. "You were the Lieutenant who took part in the attack on Melodious. I remember being forced to watch you murder innocents!" He growled.

"Innocents? Humans aren't innocent. All they do is treat us Faunus like gum on a shoe," The LT said.

"I hope you also remember murdering a family of fox Faunus, what was the excuse for that?!" Koa asked.

"Sorry boy, you'll have to find someone else to answer that question. All I do is follow orders, if someone says for me to kill, I do so," The LT said.

Koa growled. "For our village of Melodious, which hasn't been the same since the Dialis were killed, as well as Jasmine, who lives a life without any family to come home to!" Koa yelled. He threw a boomerang straight forwards, which the LT blocked with his chainsaw. Koa let it spin, charging in with the other, throwing it behind him and catching the other to block the downwards swing from the chainsaw.

This turned out to be a small error on Koa's part, the LT was much bigger than him, and stronger, with a larger weapon. Grunting under the weight, he started to struggle against keeping the gnashing teeth of the brutal weapon from skewering him. Suddenly the LT grunted, his head jolting forwards. Koa smirked, kicking the Faunus in the stomach, rolling onto his back and throwing the man off the roof.

He followed, leaping up to grab the second boomerang and dropping onto the LT, who blocked him with his chainsaw. Knowing this wouldn't last long, Koa angled himself to spring off the weapon to land, summoning a hardlight barrier to protect his flank.

* * *

Jasmine looked over the roof edge from where she had watched the battle, cursing herself for freezing up. She glanced at the squad of soldiers, knowing she could handle them easily. She picked up Kitsune's Kickback, swiping at the first. This snapped the others out of their stupor, having been watching the battle below. "She's with the traitor and the humans! Get her!" One called out.

Jasmine ducked under the swing of a sword, before holding it behind her neck to block several rounds heading her way. With her lance still behind her, she rolled onto her back, before using the momentum to spring up and kick a Fang member in the face. Self-righting herself, she shot a shell at two goons that were bunched up. Turning her attention to the last one, she was about to advance on him when a high-powered round diffused his aura completely.

Jasmine glanced over to the other warehouse roof, smiling when she saw Ruby crouched. Waving over to the girl, Jasmine turned her attention back to the battle below. She momentarily paused on seeing watching Sun on the advance against Roman, her eyes glistening at the beauty behind his weapon. Her eyes then drifted down, and her heart almost stopped.

Koa was on the ground, his blue aura flickering before fizzling out completely. She had to act, especially as the LT was lifting his chainsaw.

* * *

 **Moments earlier...**

* * *

A boomerang slammed into the side of the chainsaw, and Koa followed it up with his other boomerang, shooting towards the LT's chest.

The lieutenant swung his mighty weapon with one hand, causing Koa to slide under the gnashing teeth, before leaping up and axe kicking him in the side of the head… Or that would have happened, but the LT grabbed his leg with his spare hand. Throwing him into the warehouse door, Koa gasped, quickly summoning a hardlight barrier to block the heavy downwards swing from his foe.

Much to his alarm though, the chainsaw slowly cut through the barrier, slashing down at Koa, ripping at his aura. Koa acted quickly, lashing out with a fist of hardlight.

It knocked the LT back, but Koa grunted as his aura broke, the strain from the chainsaw having torn it apart. He tried to stand, but his arms gave out.

"A nice try kid, I'll send your little girlfriend to join you, once I've gutted you!" The lieutenant called out, lowering his chainsaw. Koa closed his eyes, bracing for the painful demise.

It never came.

 **"NO!"** His eyes shot open, hearing an unfamiliar, yet somehow familiar, voice yell.

The shout had paused the entire battle, Roman, Blake and Sun confused, Ruby and an orange haired girl looking over with hope and interest respectively, and Koa just looked up at the fox faunus who stood before him, fists glowing with gold hardlight, and similarly coloured shavings flittering around them. Her right fist was extended in an uppercut pose, her ears flattened against her head and tail swishing with fury.

Jasmine Diali pulled out her weapon. Behind her, Koa's eyes widened. He knew where he had heard that voice before.

"Jas?" He asked. He took a deep breath, feeling his aura slowly recovering. He stood up, coming to stand next to her. "Alright, how about we go again?" He asked with a smile.

"Hey!" Both their heads turned to see Ruby stab her scythe into the roof of the warehouse.

"Well, hello Red, and Blue as well! Isn't it past your bedtime?" Roman asked. Ruby turned to speak with the orange haired girl behind her. Roman took his chance, firing a shot that blasted Ruby off her feet.

"Ruby!" Koa called out with worry.

The orange haired girl then jumped down, a multitude of identical swords popping free from a compartment on her back. She waved her hands, several slashing at a couple of Fang men, before she threw the entire wheel of swords at a line of grunts.

Summoning more swords, she blocked several shots from the Bullheads, which were performing gun runs. She suddenly dropped back to the base of the warehouse, before her swords all pointed forwards, spinning in a circle, before a bright green laser blasted from the centre, dissecting the two attacking bullheads. Suddenly, she turned her attention to the third bullhead, trying to make off with a crate with the Schnee Dust Company logo on it.

Two swords shot into the hull, and the girl began to, somehow, pull the VTOL craft to the ground.

Koa was so absorbed by the show, he only just noticed Roman and some White Fang, including the lieutenant, getting on one last bullhead, which pulled away from the docks.

Koa turned to Jasmine, relieved she was unharmed, however, that was not the most pressing thing. "Jas?" He asked.

"…Y…Y…" His eyes widened as he heard sound coming from her mouth, "Yes?" She croaked. Her own eyes widened, before tears began to fall.

"It's ok kiddo," Koa pulled her into a hug. "Let it out. It's been at least five years in the waiting," He smiled. He felt her body trembling, before he heard her cry out.

* * *

 **Koa: So... that was a thing...**

 **Ruby: You can say that again Koa, I'm glad it seemed to work out though.**

 **Blake: That may be the case, but now you've got to train Jasmine's voice again.**

 **Koa: We'll make it work. That's a promise.** **On a related note, Season 1 is over, now for a small interlude chapter before Season 2 begins.**

 **All: Next time: Down Time**


	18. Chapter 18: Down Time

**Welcome back to the adventures of Team KOLD! We've gotten to Season 2, which is probably still my favourite season. Time to get started, but before that, to those not following my other fictions, may I give a belated Merry Christmas to all you lovely people!**

 **You might notice this chapter to be a bit on the short side, but it serves as a nice little interlude before Season 2 really gets underway.**

* * *

 **Season 2**

 **Chapter 18: Down Time**

 **Title Song: Tender Feeling (Persona 3 OST)**

* * *

The Cross Continental Transmit tower, or CCT, is one of the most important landmarks of the city of Vale. It was here that long distance communications between the Kingdoms could take place with no lag or possible interferance.

Lilo stepped into the elevator, _"Welcome to the Cross Continental Transmit tower, please scan your scroll._ " The wolf faunus did so, putting her scroll against the scanner. " _Confirmed, welcome Miss Fuchsia, how may we help you today?"_

"Communications please," Lilo replied. The elevator ascended until it stopped on a floor. A woman on a screen gave the appearance of sitting behind a desk. "Yo. Can I use a terminal? I wanna make a call to Menagerie," She asked.

"Of course, terminal 5, let us know when you're done," Lilo nodded, stepping over to the given screen. She plugged in her scroll and made a call.

The screen lit up with a face. "Fuchsia household?" The recipient of the call was a woman with red hair in the style of a bun, wearing a formal kimono of the same colour, with silver trimming around the edges. Her hair had a pair of ears poking from the top. "Clarent speaking."

"Hi mother," Lilo smiled, waving.

"Lilo dear, how are you?" The matriarch of the Fuchsia family asked.

"I've been doing fine," Lilo smiled. "Classes are interesting, Professor Port occasionally treats us to controlled grimm fights in Grimm studies, Oobleck is a bit hyper in History of Remnant, but he's respectable to Faunus, Goodwitch has the best class by far, combat class, I've yet to lose a fight, but I'm waiting for a challenge from Yang, the heavy hitter of a fellow first year team."

"And your classmates?" Asked Clarent.

"I'm a part of Team KOLD. Koa Maru is our leader, he's cool, and his feelings for the Faunus are strong in favour. His fighting style is the most unique I've ever seen, using a pair of boomerangs. Onyx Stone is our own definition of a walking tank, his semblance bolsters aura around himself or an ally. Lastly, there's Jasmine Diali, weapon expert and one of the cutest fox Faunus I've met, poor thing had quite an experience with the White Fang as a child, it still haunts her, whatever they did."

"Well, I'm glad you made some new friends, I know you always struggled to make any back here," Clarent smiled. She glanced off screen, "Oh, your brother's here, you want me to get him for you?"

"That's partially why I'm here," Lilo nodded.

A moment later, a dark grey-haired young man stood in the camera shot. His hair had streaks of fuchsia in it, and two ears poked out of his hair. He had a scar across his right eye and had a fair amount of stubble from cheek to cheek.

"Hey Grey, how's things back home?" Lilo asked.

"Well, White Fang are causing unrest here. News has reached us that they made an attempted robbery in Vale, but were thwarted by huntsmen in training," Grey Fuchsia said. "Don't suppose you know anything about that?"

"Actually, two of my team were involved in stopping that happen. They had an encounter with a familiar face to them. Some meathead with a chainsaw that caused them problems in the past," Lilo shrugged.

Grey sighed. "As long as you remember to keep yourselves safe, I trust you to do what is right."

"I will big bro. Just promise you'll keep our home safe," Lilo smiled back.

"Sure… We miss you kid, not just in the house, but the guard here too. If my job permits, I might have time to stop by and watch a fight in the Vytal Festival," Grey said.

"I can't wait. Trust me, you won't be disappointed!" Lilo punched her palm playfully.

"I gotta go, shipping routes are becoming more difficult to manage around here, might have to make a request for huntsmen to come help us out," Grey sighed. He disappeared from the screen.

Clarent stepped back into frame, "I've got to get going too. The Belladonnas have agreed to talk about new trade routes for Fuchsia Silks," She said. "Young wolf, you keep fighting your way. Follow your dreams. I'll tell Cherry you called. She's at school at the moment. Top of her class too."

"Tell her I love her. I love all of you. I'll be home to see you when the summer break begins," Lilo smiled.

The call ended with smiles from both mother and daughter. Lilo looked down at Snowfall and Shadow, "Come on, let's get back to Beacon."

* * *

"Hragh!" Onyx cried out, swinging his axe. His eyes were closed as he swung, both arms tense as he pulled the axe back.

 _Compared to Koa, Lilo and Jasmine… I've got so little live combat experience…_ He thought. He opened his eyes, twirling his axe into it's firing position, firing three times, large dust rounds blasting from the muzzle at the tip of the shaft.

 _All I've got is you… Obsidian Rage… grandfather's pride and joy. Mother and Father… why didn't you let me make my own weapon… I know I was your only son, but that's not an excuse to keep me from experiencing what I want. To want to serve Remnant and it's kingdoms. Being a huntsman… it's all I want._

Looking down at the weapon again, he frowned. "Maybe it's time to move on from the past… Obsidian Rage… you got me here… but you're not _my_ weapon. Jaune has made it work with Crocea Mors, but… I just don't feel the same spark with you…" He sighed.

 _I think I'm going to need to talk to Ruby. She's the one that uses a similar weapon type, maybe she can help me find my_ own _weapon style. Either her or Professor Maru._

He powered down his axe, putting the shaft back on his back. Heading towards the dorms, she knocked on Team RWBY's door. Weiss answered it. He noticed the girl was wearing a simple white t-shirt and sweats, maybe she'd just been to the gym.

"Afternoon Weiss," He smiled.

"Onyx, hello," The Schnee heiress smiled back. "Can I help you?"

"Maybe… do you know where Ruby is?" He asked.

Weiss pointed over her shoulder. The girl in red was lying on her stomach on the floor, reading a comic book. She looked up at the two Atlesians.

"Ruby, can I speak to you about something?" Asked the teen in black.

The hyperactive team leader hopped to her feet. "Sure," She put a bookmark in her comic, tossing it up onto her bed. "What about?"

"Weapon-!" The moment he said the word, she grasped his wrists.

"What about them?" She asked. Weiss realised she was not needed anymore, and headed for the shower, grabbing a spare set of casual clothes.

"Let's head to the combat arena, I'll explain there," He offered.

* * *

"Right… So you want to start from scratch with a new weapon?" Ruby asked once he had explained his situation.

"A polearm, maybe something between Crescent Rose and Nora's hammer. I feel like a two stage weapon will be better than my strange blunderbuss axe," Onyx nodded.

Ruby walked over to the blackboard. Goodwitch rarely used it, but it was there just in case she had some suggestions that needed a diagram. Ruby started by drawing Crescent Rose, her faithful scythe/sniper rifle combo. She then drew Nora's hammer.

"Polearms…" Ruby pulled up a list of options. Expanding the scroll into a tablet mode, she put it next to her.

"Maybe… either an ahlspeiss, a featherstaff, or go back to the axe maybe…" Ruby suggested, listing the three choices between the two other heavy weapons.

Onyx's mind was racing as he thought of ways the new weapon possibilities he had. "I got an idea… but I'll need your help." He took the eraser and swiped the entire board clean. He then drew his idea in the first form.

"An axe? You wanna keep the core?" She asked.

"I have to. It's still my grandfather's weapon. To just dismantle the entire thing and start again with a new fighting style won't work. I just can't let go of the past entirely. You know?" Onyx asked.

Ruby had paused, gripping the red hood she wore like always. "Yeah… I think I do…" She said, alarmingly mellow for her bright attitude.

"But an axe won't be enough, I want to be more capable from range, got an idea?" He asked her, bringing her back to her cheerful self.

Ruby took the chalk back. "Maybe if we…" The two spent the rest of the day muttering between them.

* * *

On the outskirts of Beacon grounds, the duo of Koa and Jasmine were sat on a pair of rocks across from each other. "Try again Jas, watch, by the end of this semester, we'll have you singing again."

The fox girl smiled at the support of her friend. Clearing her throat, "He…o …Oa, how are …ou …day?" She asked.

"It's ok Jas, we'll get there. It might just require time and patience. Who knows, if we have to fight together, it could be the magic moment you've been wanting," Koa said, patting her knee.

"Than… ou," Jasmine said, before coughing. "It's o…, we'll …tinue to pra…ti…e when we …an, we'll get there."

"As your best friend, I promise to help you find your voice again," Koa swapped, coming to sit on her rock and putting a reassuring arm around her shoulders.

The two decided to call it a day with the voice practice, choosing to watch the sun set across the city of Vale. "Jasmine… did I ever tell you why I decided to become a huntsman?"

She shook her head.

"It's because I want to make sure that what happened to Melodious never happens again. It wasn't just you and me who were affected that day. Garnet, Azura, old man Forrest. So many of our village died that day, and many more were scared for life," Koa said. "I want to live in a society where humans and faunus can live together in harmony, without the need for fear of the other."

"Sam… …ere," He turned, focusing on Jasmine's speech. "The …hite Fang have …ut so much fear in…o humans an… faunus."

The two childhood friends continued to watch the sun fall, hands subconsciously wrapping around each other, Jasmine putting her head to relax on Koa's shoulder.

 _We've already been through so much… fights with the White Fang, Grimm, Torchwick, that chainsaw guy…_ Koa thought, glancing at the fox girl leaning into him, before looking back at the sun. _I have to get stronger. Not just to protect the innocents, but the one I love with all my heart._

 _He's done so much for me… I need to get stronger, so I can return the favour…_ Jasmine snuck a glance up at his face, staring out at the golden glow crossing Vale. _Because I love him. I used to think of it as a silly childhood crush, but I now know for sure that I cannot live without him beside me._

The two continued to watch until the lights of Beacon lit up, meaning they had to come back to avoid breaking curfew. Goodwitch is not someone you want to run into for breaking curfew.

* * *

That night, the four members of Team KOLD carried out their usual order of readying for sleep. It was reverse order night, so the girls got first water, while the boys brought up the rear.

"I got to speak with my family today. Too bad Cherry wasn't there… I miss her, and I know she misses me," Lilo spoke up.

"You've never mentioned your family," Koa noted with a raised eyebrow.

"Got my mama and pops, they run a chain out of Menagerie called Fuchsia Silk. Stuff is super soft to sleep in, but it has other uses. My bro, Grey, is the chief of the guard. He's the one that organises the patrols to neighbouring islands plagued by Grimm, and makes sure ships make it through the region. Cherry is my lil' sis. Honestly, her semblance makes it impossible to be angry. She's an absolute treasure to be around," Lilo said. She glanced at one of the photos on the window ledge.

"I'm an only child, but I discovered the feeling of what a little sister would feel like today…" Onyx yawned. "Ruby's a hyperactive, weapon loving cookie monster and the more I was working with her this afternoon, the more I realised that she's a real beacon in the dark."

"Yeah, I get that feeling too. Wait, why were you with Ruby?" Lilo asked.

"Wanting to improve my weapon. She volunteered. I'd ask you Jasmine, but you've got your vocal chords full trying to make a full sentence, no offence," Onyx shrugged.

"No' …aken," Jasmine croaked back.

"My dad's a foreman in the mines, but he doesn't let his workers go endlessly and without breaks. He gets a bit of grief from Schnee Sr, but they're old classmates so it's hard for him to stay mad at father. Mother's a teacher at Mantle Academy. She didn't want me doing huntsman work, so I left to find my own path," Onyx continued.

"You've all met my mom, teacher at Signal, great cook too. Dad's a doctor, works at Vale General Hospital in the city, both are hard workers. Luckily, dad was home when I was about to go out looking for Jas, just to find her collapsed on our doorstep. He took her to the spare room and made her feel better," Koa said.

He sighed. "Sorry Jas. Here we are talking about our family…" He paused, seeing her soft eyes peeping down over the side of her bed. She nodded down to him.

"Jasmine's family had the same structure as Lilo's. However, she was the Cherry of her family. Both her brother and sister were huntsman and huntress. Were on the same team. Garnet and Sky Diali. As for her mom, she was a pharmacist. Had a nice little establishment out the side of their house. Her dad was a chemist. Worked perfectly for them. Both made excellent local remedies and pick-me-ups," Koa said, holding his hand up, which Jasmine took gingerly.

"Well, I know we can never substitute for the real thing, but a team is like a family," Lilo smiled over.

"And I'm sure we can fill some of that empty gap. We will never let you be alone again, promise," Onyx added.

Jasmine smiled. "Than… uys…" She whispered. With that, they all went to sleep, their bonds even stronger than before.

* * *

 **Koa: Cute little ending there, and this entire chapter was filled with lovely moments.**

 **Lilo: Yeah, including Onyx developing a little sister feeling in Ruby, could be interesting in the future.**

 **Onyx: Shut it. Unlike my feelings, it seems our esteemed leader and his best friend have gotten closer than normal.**

 **Jasmine: No ...ea wha... ou are on a...out.**

 **All: Next time: Toppling the Queen!**


End file.
